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The diverse family of flies Tachinidae are a significant component of insect communities in nearly all terrestrial systems from deserts to tropical forests to the high arctic. Due to their parasitoid habit, tachinids are important enemies of a variety of other insect groups.Despite the apparent importance of this group, current studies—including ecological and biogeographic studies—are limited by taxonomic and systematic impediments, including unknown phylogenetic frameworks for most tribes, poorly known generic limits, and a large number of undescribed tropical species.Here I present studies in taxonomy, systematics, phylogenetics and ecology of the Polideini of the Neotropical region organized in two chapters. In Chapter 1, I use Ultraconserved elements, a targeted sequencing technique, to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Polideini and provide a robust foundation for understanding the diversification and relationships of this rapidly radiating and morphologically confusing tribe. Despite the significant contribution to the understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of the Polideini, the vast number of undescribed species and confusing rampant and recurrent homoplasies among distantly related taxa confounds accurate delineation of generic boundaries and the recognition of major clades using external morphology as well as male terminalia.Chapter 2 is a partial revision of the genus Chrysotachina, a tachinid genus displaying an incredible diversity of external morphology. I used an integrative approach using morphological, genetic and life history evidence to propose the synonymy of Chlorohystricia Townsend, redescribe 14 previously named Neotropical species, and describe 51 new species. Chrysotachina amazonica (Townsend), C. urichi (Aldrich), and C. verticalis (Reinhard) are synonymized with C. setifera (Townsend). The new replacement name C. waipaii nom. nov. is proposed for C. ruficauda. |
