Diversity and systematic of Keroplatidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha): faunistics, taxonomy and scientific collections for the phylogenetic study of the subfamily Keroplatinae

Abstract

Ninety two genera are currently ascribed to the Keroplatidae, with about 950 valid species divided in four subfamilies. This family of Diptera is known to be widely distributed in the world. Scarce researches concerning the phylogenetic relationships of Keroplatidae have been developed until the 1990's, and those have never comprised the entire family. The knowledge of the Neotropical fauna (ca. 200 species) demands taxonomics revisions in many levels. The primary aim of this project is to expand the phylogenetic study of relationships within the Keroplatidae, enlarging the sampling of genera and species, and thus increasing the systematic knowledge of the family. Concomitantly, it will be established a reference collection for the Keroplatidae in Brazil mainly including representative taxa from the Neotropical Region. This collection will consist of specimens preserved dry and in humid (100% alcohol) via, and it will facilitate taxonomic revisions of genera of the family, including the description of the new species. The fourth largest type collection of Keroplatidae is deposited in the Museu de Zoologia Universidade de São Paulo, the institution where this project will be developed. The importance of this collection can be exemplified by the fact of comprising 67 Neotropical primary types. Despite its historical importance, the collection remained fairly stagnate in the last decades (similarly to the progresses on the development phylogenetic relationships for the group). A reference collection for the Neotropical fauna is an indispensable tool for the development of systematic knowledge about the group in this region. This will make possible advances in the understanding of phylogenetic relationships within the Keroplatidae. The expansion and organization of all the material already collected by several projects and new collections, as a scientific collection will allow for exam not only for studies based on morphology, but also analyses focusing on genetic material of those organisms, for taxonomic, ecological, and conservation. (AU)