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Balbi, M. I. P. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Balbi, M. I. P. A..

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An integrative taxonomic treatment of the Mycetophilidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) from Singapore reveals 115 new species on 730km2

Abstract"Open ended" or "dark taxa" are species-rich clades that are so abundant and diverse that conventional taxonomic methods tend to struggle with the onslaught of specimens and species. New approaches based on presorting specimens to putative species with low-cost DNA barcodes may make tackling these taxa manageable. However, this will still require limiting the geographic scope of taxonomic revisions, given that most countries and biogeographic regions will have too many specimens and species for comprehensive coverage. We demonstrate the power of this approach by carrying out a revision of the Mycetophilidae fungus gnats (Diptera) of Singapore. The material revised here was obtained from 496 samples collected with 71 Malaise traps placed at 107 sites in different habitats in Singapore: mangroves, swamp forests, freshwater swamps, primary rainforests, and different types of secondary forests (old, maturing, young, urban). Based on molecular and morphological data for 1,454 specimens, we delimit 120 species of 23 genera. Of these, only five were species previously described. The remaining 115 species are new to science and described here. We name, however, only 98 of these species since 14 species are currently only known from females and we cannot prepare a fully satisfying morphological diagnosis (Manota spp. A-G and Neoempheria spp. A-G), and three species lack molecular data (Epicypta sp. A, Epicypta sp. B, and Neoempheria sp. H). To assess congruence between species delimited with DNA barcodes (3% clusters) and morphology, we determined a match ratio and found it to be overall high (95%) with even higher match ratios (99%) observed for MOTUs clustered at 5% with Objective Clustering and MOTUs obtained with ABGD set to (P=0.060). Overall, the ratio of undescribed to described is an astonishing 20:1. Only revising the Singapore fauna increases the number of described species of Oriental Mycetophilidae by about 25%, highlighting the size of the taxonomic impediment for fungus gnats. Most of the Singapore Mycetophilidae diversity belongs to three genera--Neoempheria Osten-Sacken (31 species), Epicypta Winnertz (29 species) and Manota Williston (14 species), but we also describe a new genus-- Integricypta, gen. n., which is the putative sistergroup of Aspidionia Colless--belonging to the Mycetophilinae Mycetophilini based on three species. The species sequenced, illustrated, and named are: Leptomorphus rafflesi, sp. n.; Monoclona simhapura, sp. n.; Azana demeijeri, sp. n.; Azana leekongchiani, sp. n. (Sciophilinae); Tetragoneura crawfurdi, sp. n.; Tetragoneura chola, sp. n.; Tetragoneura dayuan, sp. n.; Tetragoneura farquhari, sp. n.; Ectrepesthoneura johor, sp. n. (Tetragoneurinae); Mohelia zubirsaidi, sp. n.; Allactoneura tumasik, sp. n.; Allactoneura limbosengi, sp. n.; Manota banzu, sp. n.; Manota tantocksengi, sp. n.; Manota bukittimah, sp. n.; Manota chiamassie, sp. n.; Manota danmaxi, sp. n.; Manota mahuan, sp. n.; Manota temenggong, sp. n.; Clastobasis sritribuana, sp. n.; Clastobasis bugis, sp. n.; Clastobasis oranglaut, sp. n. (Leiinae); Parempheriella mait, sp. n.; Parempheriella longyamen, sp. n.; Parempheriella peranakan, sp. n.; Mycomya sachmatich, sp. n.; Neoempheria merlio, sp. n.; Neoempheria sabana, sp. n.; Neoempheria sangabo, sp. n.; Neoempheria shicheng, sp. n.; Neoempheria ujong, sp. n.; Neoempheria subaraji, sp. n.; Neoempheria kokoiyeeae, sp. n.; Neoempheria mandai, sp. n.; Neoempheria malacca, sp. n.; Neoempheria sinkapho, sp. n.; Neoempheria singapura, sp. n.; Neoempheria xinjiapo, sp. n.; Neoempheria puluochung, sp. n.; Neoempheria merdeka, sp. n.; Neoempheria neesoon, sp. n.; Neoempheria pulau, sp. n.; Neoempheria cinkappur, sp. n.; Neoempheria temasek, sp. n.; Neoempheria polunini, sp. n.; Neoempheria fajar, sp. n.; Neoempheria riatanae, sp. n. (Mycomyinae); Brachycampta glorialimae, sp. n.; Brachycampta murphyi, sp. n.; Brachycampta limtzepengi, sp. n.; Rymosia teopohlengi, sp. n.; Exechia tanswiehiani, sp. n.; Exechia alinewongae, sp. n.; Mycetophila chngseoktinae, sp. n.; Mycetophila georgettechenae, sp. n.; Mycetophila aishae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne phanwaithongae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne gohsookhimae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne rahimahae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne lynetteseahae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne neilaae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne snehalethaae, sp. n.; Platurocypta adeleneweeae, sp. n.; Platurocypta tanhoweliangi, sp. n.; Epicypta constancesingamae, sp. n.; Epicypta jennylauae, sp. n.; Epicypta limchiumeiae, sp. n.; Epicypta janetyeeae, sp. n.; Epicypta kohkhenglianae, sp. n.; Epicypta daintoni, sp. n.; Epicypta holltumi, sp.n.; Epicypta ridleyi, sp. n.; Epicypta chezaharaae, sp. n.; Epicypta tanjiakkimi, sp. n.; Epicypta gehminae, sp. n.; Epicypta jackieyingae, sp. n.; Epicypta khatijunae, sp. n.; Epicypta purchoni, sp. n.; Epicypta foomaoshengi, sp. n.; Epicypta ganengsengi, sp. n.; Epicypta nanyangu, sp. n.; Epicypta nus, sp. n.; Epicypta peterngi, sp. n.; Epicypta maggielimae, sp. n.; Epicypta yupeigaoae, sp. n.; Epicypta annwee, sp. n.; Epicypta wallacei, sp. n.; Epicypta lamtoongjini, sp. n.; Epicypta catherinelimae, sp. n.; Epicypta grootaerti, sp. n.; Epicypta joaquimae, sp. n.; Aspidionia cheesweeleeae, sp. n.; Aspidionia janetjesudasonae, sp. n.; Aspidionia fatimahae, sp. n.; Integricypta fergusondavie, sp. n.; Integricypta teosoonkimae, sp. n.; Integricypta shirinae, sp. n.; Integricypta hoyuenhoeae, sp. n. (Mycetophilinae). The previously described species are Metanepsia malaysiana Kallweit, Eumanota racola Soli, Parempheriella defectiva (Edwards), Neoempheria dizonalis (Edwards) (all known from Sumatra and/or the Malaysian peninsula), and Chalastonepsia hokkaidensis Kallweit a species spread in east Asia. The mycomyine genus Vecella Wu & Yang is here proposed as a new synonym to Parempheriella, with P. guadunana (Wu & Yang), n. comb. corresponding to an additional Palearctic species of Parempheriella. Barcodes for a second set of 1,493 Singapore mycetophilid specimens suggest the presence of an additional 18 MOTUs. We thus estimate that approximately 85% of all the Singapore species that routinely enter Malaise traps are identified or described here. The revision concludes with a discussion of the biogeography and generic composition of the mycetophilid fauna at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. Zusammenfassung"Open-ended" oder "Dark Taxa" sind artenreiche Klade, die so abundant und arteinreich sind, dass die herkommlichen taxonomischen Methoden angesichts der gro{beta}en Anzahl von Exemplaren und Arten nicht gut funktionieren. Neue Ansatze, die auf das Vorsortierung von Exemplaren mit DNA Barcodes bis zum Artniveau basieren, erlauben es jetzt aber solche Taxa zu revidieren. Allerdings kann auch mit DNA Barcodes, nur die Fauna eines vergleichsweise kleinen Gebietes bearbeiten werden, weil fur die meisten Lander und biogeografischen Regionen zu viele Exemplare und Arten abgedeckt werden mussten. Wir demonstrieren hier wie eine solche Revision durchgefuhrt werden kann. Wir revidieren hier die Pilzmucken (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) von Singapur, die mit Malaisefallen gefangen werden konnen. Das hier uberarbeitete Material stammt aus 496 Malaise-Fallenproben, die mit 71 Malaise-Fallen an 107 Sammelstellen in verschiedenen Habitaten gefangen wurden: Mangroven, Sumpfwalder, Su{beta}wassersumpfe, Primarregenwalder und Sekundarwalder. Basierend auf molekularen und morphologischen Daten fur mehr als 1454 Tiere grenzen wir 120 Arten mit molekularen und morphologischen Daten ab, wobei nur 5 dieser Arten bereits beschrieben sind. Die verbleibenden 115 werden hier beschrieben. Allerdings benennen wir nur 98 Arten, da fur zwei Arten molekulare Daten fehlen und fur 14 weitere Arten derzeit nur Weibchen bekannt sind. Daher konnen wir derzeit keine zufriedenstellende morphologische Diagnose erstellen. Daruber hinaus fehlen molekulare Daten fur drei Arten (Epicypta sp. A, Epicypta sp. B und Neoempheria sp. H). Was die Artgrenzen betrifft, so stimmen die molekularen und morphologischen Daten in den meisten Fallen uberein (match ratio: 95% fur 3% MOTUs). Eine noch hohere "match ratio" von 99% wird fur 5% und ABGD MOTUs (P=0,060) beobachtet. Insgesamt ist das Verhaltnis zwischen unbeschrieben und beschrieben erstaunlich hoch (20:1), und die Uberarbeitung der singapurer Fauna erhoht die Anzahl der beschriebenen Arten in der Orientalischen Region um uber 25%. Dies unterstreicht den Ausma{beta} des "taxonomic impediments" fur Pilzmucken. Die meisten der Mycetophilidenarten in Singapur gehoren zu drei von 22 Gattungen - Neoempheria Osten-Sacken (31 Arten), Epicypta Winnertz (29 Arten) und Manota Williston (14 Arten), aber wir beschreiben hier auch eine neue Gattung, Integricypta, gen. n. basierend auf drei Arten. Die Gattung gehort zu den Mycetophilinae Mycetophilini und ist die mutma{beta}liche Schwestergruppe von Aspidionia Colless. Die sequenzierten, illustrierten und benannten Arten sind: Leptomorphus rafflesi, sp. n.; Monoclona simhapura, sp. n.; Azana demeijeri, sp. n.; Azana leekongchiani, sp. n. (Sciophilinae); Tetragoneura crawfurdi, sp. n.; Tetragoneura chola, sp. n.; Tetragoneura dayuan, sp. n.; Tetragoneura farquhari, sp. n.; Ectrepesthoneura johor, sp. n. (Tetragoneurinae); Mohelia zubirsaidi, sp. n.; Allactoneura tumasik, sp. n.; Allactoneura limbosengi, sp. n.; Manota banzu, sp. n.; Manota tantocksengi, sp. n.; Manota bukittimah, sp. n.; Manota chiamassie, sp. n.; Manota danmaxi, sp. n.; Manota mahuan, sp. n.; Manota temenggong, sp. n.; Clastobasis sritribuana, sp. n.; Clastobasis bugis, sp. n.; Clastobasis oranglaut, sp. n. (Leiinae); Parempheriella mait, sp. n.; Parempheriella longyamen, sp. n.; Parempheriella peranakan, sp. n.; Mycomya sachmatich, sp. n.; Neoempheria merlio, sp. n.; Neoempheria sabana, sp. n.; Neoempheria sangabo, sp. n.; Neoempheria shicheng, sp. n.; Neoempheria ujong, sp. n.; Neoempheria subaraji, sp. n.; Neoempheria kokoiyeeae, sp. n.; Neoempheria mandai, sp. n.; Neoempheria malacca, sp. n.; Neoempheria sinkapho, sp. n.; Neoempheria singapura, sp. n.; Neoempheria xinjiapo, sp. n.; Neoempheria puluochung, sp. n.; Neoempheria merdeka, sp. n.; Neoempheria neesoon, sp. n.; Neoempheria pulau, sp. n.; Neoempheria cinkappur, sp. n.; Neoempheria temasek, sp. n.; Neoempheria polunini, sp. n.; Neoempheria fajar, sp. n.; Neoempheria riatanae, sp. n. (Mycomyinae); Brachycampta glorialimae, sp. n.; Brachycampta murphyi, sp. n.; Brachycampta limtzepengi, sp. n.; Rymosia teopohlengi, sp. n.; Exechia tanswiehiani, sp. n.; Exechia alinewongae, sp. n.; Mycetophila chngseoktinae, sp. n.; Mycetophila georgettechenae, sp. n.; Mycetophila aishae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne phanwaithongae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne gohsookhimae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne rahimahae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne lynetteseahae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne neilaae, sp. n.; Platyprosthiogyne snehalethaae, sp. n.; Platurocypta adeleneweeae, sp. n.; Platurocypta tanhoweliangi, sp. n.; Epicypta constancesingamae, sp. n.; Epicypta jennylauae, sp. n.; Epicypta limchiumeiae, sp. n.; Epicypta janetyeeae, sp. n.; Epicypta kohkhenglianae, sp. n.; Epicypta daintoni, sp. n.; Epicypta holltumi, sp.n.; Epicypta ridleyi, sp. n.; Epicypta chezaharaae, sp. n.; Epicypta tanjiakkimi, sp. n.; Epicypta gehminae, sp. n.; Epicypta jackieyingae, sp. n.; Epicypta khatijunae, sp. n.; Epicypta purchoni, sp. n.; Epicypta foomaoshengi, sp. n.; Epicypta ganengsengi, sp. n.; Epicypta nanyangu, sp. n.; Epicypta nus, sp. n.; Epicypta peterngi, sp. n.; Epicypta maggielimae, sp. n.; Epicypta yupeigaoae, sp. n.; Epicypta annwee, sp. n.; Epicypta wallacei, sp. n.; Epicypta lamtoongjini, sp. n.; Epicypta catherinelimae, sp. n.; Epicypta grootaerti, sp. n.; Epicypta joaquimae, sp. n.; Aspidionia cheesweeleeae, sp. n.; Aspidionia janetjesudasonae, sp. n.; Aspidionia fatimahae, sp. n.; Integricypta fergusondavie, sp. n.; Integricypta teosoonkimae, sp. n.; Integricypta shirinae, sp. n.; Integricypta hoyuenhoeae, sp. n. (Mycetophilinae). Die Tiere, die zu den bereits beschriebenen Arten gehoren, gehoren zu den folgenden Arten: Metanepsia malaysiana Kallweit, Eumanota racola Soli, Parempheriella defectiva (Edwards), Neoempheria dizonalis (Edwards) (alle Arten sind derzeit aus Sumatra und/oder der malaysischen Halbinsel bekannt), und Chalastonepsia hokkaidensis Kallweit, eine in Ostasien verbreitete Art. Die Gattung Vecella Wu & Yang wird hier als neues Synonym fur Parempheriella vorgeschlagen, wobei P. guadunana (Wu & Yang), n. comb., wobei die Gattung damit eine zusatzlichen palaarktischen Art erhalt. Die DNA Barcodes fur eine zweite Stichprobe mit 1.493 Pilzmucken deuten darauf hin, dass in Singapur 18 zusatzliche Arten mit Malaisefallen gefangen werden konnen. Es sieht aber dennoch so aus, als wurden wir bereits hier circa 85% aller Arten beschreiben, die regelma{beta}ig in Malaise-Fallen geraten. Die Revision endet mit einer Diskussion der Biogeographie und taxonomische Zusammensetzung der Mycetophilidenfauna im sudlichen Teil der Malaiischen Halbinsel.

zoology↗

"Dark taxonomy": a new protocol for overcoming the taxonomic impediments for dark taxa and broadening the taxon base for biodiversity assessment

We are entering the 6th mass extinction with little data for "dark taxa" although they comprise most species. Much of the neglect is due to the fact that conventional taxonomic methods struggle with handling thousands of specimens belonging to hundreds of species. We thus here propose a new strategy that we call "dark taxonomy." It addresses (1) taxonomic impediments, (2) lack of biodiversity baselines, (3) and low impact of revisionary research. Taxonomic impediments are reduced by carrying out revisions at small geographic scales to keep the number of specimens low. The risk of taxonomic error is kept low by delimiting species based on two types of data. We then show that dark taxonomy can yield important biodiversity baseline data because it uses samples obtained with biomonitoring traps. Lastly, we argue that the impact of research can be improved by publishing two manuscripts addressing different readerships. The principles of dark taxonomy are illustrated by our taxonomic treatment of Singapores fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) based only on Malaise trap samples. We show that a first batch of specimens (N=1,454) contains 120 species, of which 115 are new to science thus reducing taxonomic impediments by increasing the number of described Oriental species by 25%. Species delimitation started with using DNA barcodes to estimate the number of MOTUs before "LIT" (Large-scale Integrative Taxonomy) was used to obtain the species boundaries for the 120 species by integrating morphological and molecular data. To test the taxonomic completeness of the revision, we then analyzed a second batch of 1,493 specimens and found that >97% belonged to the 120 species described based on the first batch. Indeed, the second batch only contained 18 new and rare MOTUs; i.e. our study suggests that a single revision can simultaneously yield the names for all important species and relevant biodiversity baseline data. Overall, we believe that "dark taxonomy" can quickly ready a large unknown taxon for biomonitoring.

zoology↗