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Type: Correspondence
Published: 2008-11-14
Page range: 63–65
Abstract views: 27
PDF downloaded: 3

Morphology and DNA sequences confirm the first Neotropical record for the Holarctic sepsid species Themira leachi (Meigen) (Diptera: Sepsidae)

Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Block S2 #02-01, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Block S2 #02-01, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Block S2 #02-01, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Diptera Sepsidae

Abstract

Even for the most cosmopolitan of species, climate frequently presents effective barriers for dispersal. For example, many eurytopic and synanthropic species go extinct when introduced into a new climatic zone, and translocated ants remain in sheltered environments reminiscent of their home climate (McGlynn, 1999). Here we report the occurrence of a primarily Holarctic dipteran species, Themira leachi (Meigen), in Neotropical Cuba. This discovery suggests that the species may have a large disjunct distribution, as the next closest record lies almost 3,500 km to the north in Nearctic Newfoundland, Canada (Ozerov, 1998).

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