Volume 62 (2013): Issue 3 (September 2013)

The name Syrphus and Epistrophe were widely used for most of the species of the present subfamily Syrphinae during the first half of the twentieth century. In the years 1967- 1969 there appeared three independent proposals where these polyphyletic genera were split into putative monophyletic genera and subgenera. The schemes were not identical, and some species in the genera Epistrophella, Meligramma, Fagisyrphus, Megasyrphus, Eriozona, Leucozona, Xanthogramma, Lapposyrphus and Simosyrphus have subsequently been arranged in various ways by different authors. Semiscaeva is now for practical purposes classified as subgenus of Scaeva, even though we would rather it were a genus. We give a key of adults of all 27 European genera and of larvae from 26 genera of Syrphinae. This classification is based on a long term detailed study of larvae and biology, on male genitalia and on some new adult characters. This system was almost fully supported by the molecular analysis. Only one change was made from that of the molecular analysis - the status of Lapposyrphus. Our discussion is limited to nine genera which have a different classification from that of the last 30 years. For the remaining 18 genera, up to now there are no doubts about their classification. Our discussion will justify the submitted nomenclature. The key and discussion are destined for use by authors of articles and local keys. Our classification remains open for further changes made on the basis of newly found characters. We do not recommend using older nomenclature arbitrarily.

The paper compares historical and recent records of bryophytes within Orthotrichaceae family recorded in 10 National Nature Reserves of north-eastern part of the Czech Republic. Field survey was carried out in 2013. Altogether 15 species of Orthotrichaceae family were recorded. For data comparison were used the collection efforts of the author, historical and recent herbarium specimens and the available historical literature.

The iron ore mineralizations at the Horní Benešov sulphidic deposit are located in the Devonian Šternberk-Horní Benešov Belt which is enveloped by the Lower Carboniferous flysch of the Culm Foreland Basin. The belt consists of metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks. Horní Benešov is the only site in the Jeseníky Mountains, where the oxidic iron ores occur in close association with the sulphide orebodies of the VMS/SHMS type.

The ores are composed of magnetite, Fe-silicates [stilpnomelane, often Ba-dominated, chamosite, berthierine and odinite (in the former literature described as greenalite)], carbonates (calcite, siderite, rhodochrosite and rarely dolomite and ankerite), sulphides (pyrite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, cobaltite and a mineral of the linneite-group with unusual composition), apatite, krauskopfite, barite and scheelite. Fluid inclusion and stable isotope data are in agreement with a low-temperature metamorphic/diagenetic reworking of the ores, which does not exceed 200- 250 °C. These low temperatures are also confirmed by the abundance of clastic material and fossils which both survived metamorphism, occurrence of stilpnomelane, diffusively zoned Fe-Mn carbonate crystals and remnants of undigested material in replacement textures. The associated fluids were lowsalinity (1-5 wt. % NaCl eq.), high-δ¹⁸O (+8 to +19 ‰ SMOW) aqueous solutions belonging to the Na-Mg-Cl salt system. The post-metamorphic fluid evolution involved the zero-salinity meteoric waters (with negative δ¹⁸O values) and high-salinity Ca-Na-Cl brines. The isotope data suggest participation of sulphur derived from the reduction of marine sulphate and carbon from organic matter during the formation of pyrite and carbonate, respectively. However, the latter originated predominantly from CO₂-rich volcanogenic exhalations.

The studied iron mineralizations are characterized by the absence of ooids, low abundance of hematite, presence of Mn/Fe carbonates and the absence of basic volcanites in the immediate contact with iron ores. The iron ores differ from the typical Lahn-Dill type and therefore, they may represent the iron-rich distal facies of hydrothermal vents which gave rise to the polymetallic sulphide + barite deposit at Horní Benešov. However, magnetite was formed by the replacement of primary siderite or is inferred to originate, at least partially, from precipitation of Fe-rich fluids.

Two studies to establish standards of sampling of entomological evidence for crime scene technicians and forensic experts in the Czech Republic were pursued in years 2011 to 2013. During experiments, pigs (Sus scrofa f. domestica Linnaeus, 1758) were used as models for human bodies and important data about succession of decomposition of large carcasses were also obtained. Altogether 21 species of Calliphoridae were collected, of which ten are classified as forensically important: Lucilia caesar (Linnaeus, 1758), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, Phormia regina (Meigen, 1826), Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830), Lucilia illustris (Meigen, 1826), Lucilia ampullacea Villeneuve, 1922, Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus, 1758), Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826), Lucilia silvarum (Meigen, 1826), and Cynomya mortuorum (Linnaeus, 1761). The next eleven species belonged to genera Bellardia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1836, Melinda Robineau- Desvoidy, 1830, Onesia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, and Pollenia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830; the blow flies associated with earthworms and snails, and their role in decomposition is discussed. Finally, our results stated that a pyramidal trap along with pitfall traps and rearing of larvae from the carcass are suitable tool for successional studies of forensically important invertebrates.

The mosquito fauna was observed in mountain and lowland regions of Bohemia for 50, respective 40 years. As has been proven by the long term research of this medically significant family of the dipteran and its occurrence on the territory of both the Czech and Slovak republic, changes in species composition of mosquito fauna and ecology in central Europe are indicators of contemporary ongoing climatic change and climate warming.

Altogether 2 genera and 16 species of the family Chloropidae (Diptera) are recorded from the Czech Republic (2 genera, 12 species) and Slovakia (4 species): 2 genera and 4 species represent first records from the Czech Republic, 8 species are new for the fauna of Bohemia and 4 for the fauna of the Slovak Republic. The most interesting findings are Eutropha variegata Loew, 1866, Chlorops babosae Dely-Draskovits, 1978, Chlorops longipalpis (Duda, 1933), Calamoncosis rhenana Wendt, 1994, Lasiambia subsplendens (Duda, 1933) and Sabroskyina sziladyi (Duda, 1933).

A new locality Veronica triloba (Opiz) Kern was found in the Nida Basin (southern Poland) in 2007. The locality is situated near Kalina village (ATPOL grid square: EF 31). The plant occurs there as a weed in arable field and in the baulks between fields neighbouring dry grasslands protected as Special Area of Conservation (SACs) called Kalina-Lisiniec established under NATURA 2000. The modified distribution map of V. triloba in Poland is presented.

New faunistic records of sixty-four species of family Agromyzidae (Diptera) from the West Palaearctic Region are given as follows: Austria (1), Bulgaria (8), Czech Republic (5), Cyprus (4), Egypt (1), France (4), Greece (3), Hungary (1), Israel (1), Italy (12), Norway (1), Portugal (13), Slovakia (2), Switzerland (3), Turkey (3).