The subgenera of Wiedemannia are poorly defined and, as such, most recently described species are not assigned to a subgenus or have been assigned to a subgenus without explanation. In this study we perform a molecular phylogenetic analysis to elucidate relationships within the genus Wiedemannia. We sequenced two mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase c subunit I and cytochrome β) and two nuclear (carbomoylphosphate synthase domain of rudimentary and elongation factor‐1α) gene fragments to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among the subgenera Chamaedipsia, Eucelidia, Philolutra, Pseudowiedemannia, Roederella and Wiedemannia (s.s.) using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood approaches. The genus was found to be monophyletic, but most of the subgenera were not. We propose eliminating the present subgeneric division altogether. Molecular dating using a log‐normal clock model and calibration with fossil species indicated that Wiedemannia diversified about 48 Ma, while there was still land connectivity between Europe and Asia with North America. Wiedemannia has a near‐worldwide distribution apart from the Australasian and Neotropical regions and Antarctica, with greatest species richness in the western Palaearctic, especially the Mediterranean region. Molecular phylogenetics support more recent morphological studies. The subgenera of Wiedemannia are invalid and rejected. Biogeographical data suggest potential hotspots, and the current distribution is discussed.

We inferred the phylogenetic relationships among 58 genera of Sericostom-atoidea, representing all previously accepted families as well as genera that were notplaced in established families. The analyses were based on ve fragments of the proteincoding genes carbamoylphosphate synthetase (CPSase of CAD), isocitrate dehydroge-nase (IDH), Elongation factor 1a (EF-1a), RNA polymerase II (POL II) and cytochromeoxidase I (COI). The data set was analysed using Bayesian methods with a mixedmodel, , and parsimony. The various methods generated slightly different resultsregarding relationships among families, but the shared results comprise support for: (i)a monophyletic Sericostomatoidea; (ii) a paraphyletic Parasericostoma due to inclusionof Myotrichia murina, leading to synonymization of Myotrichia with Parasericostoma;(iii) a polyphyletic Sericostomatidae, which is divided into two families, Sericostom-atidae sensu stricto and Parasericostomatidae fam.n.; (iv) a polyphyletic Helicophidaewhich is divided into Helicophidae sensu stricto and Heloccabucidae fam.n.; ( v) hypoth-esized phylogenetic placement of the former incerta sedis genera Ngoya, Seselpsycheand Karomana; (vi) a paraphyletic Costora (Conoesucidae) that should be divided intoseveral genera after more careful examination of morphological data; (vii) reinstatementof Gyrocarisa as a valid genus within Petrothrincidae. A third family, Ceylanopsychi-dae fam.n., is established based on morphological characters alone. A hypothesis ofthe relationship among 14 of the 15 families in the superfamily is presented. A key tothe families is presented based on adults (males). Taxonomic history, diagnosis, habitatpreference and distribution data for all sericostomatoid families are presented.

The braconid subfamily Euphorinae is a large, cosmopolitan group of endoparasitoid wasps. The majority of species attack adult hosts, a strategy that is rare among parasitic wasps, but there are also many species that attack nymphs and larval stages. Euphorine hosts may belong to a variety of insect orders (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Neuroptera, Psocoptera, Orthoptera and Lepidoptera) although most euphorine tribes are confined to Coleoptera. Here we investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the Euphorinae based on molecular data (3 kb of nucleotide data from four markers: 18S, 28S, CAD and COI) and propose a higher-level classification based upon the resulting phylogeny. We also infer the evolution of host associations and discuss the diversification of the Euphorinae. Results from both Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood analysis show that the subfamily, as previously circumscribed, is paraphyletic. We propose that the subfamily be expanded to include the tribes Meteorini and Planitorini (Mannokeraia + Planitorus), so that it corresponds to a clade that is strongly supported as monophyletic in our analyses. Based on our results, a revised higher classification of the Euphorinae is proposed, in which 52 extant genera and 14 tribes are recognized. We reinstate the genus Microctonus belonging to the tribe Perilitini, and synonymize Ussuraridelus with Holdawayella, Sinuatophorus with Eucosmophorus. Furthermore, we propose the following tribal rearrangements: Spathicopis and Stenothremma are transferred to Perilitini; Tuberidelus, Eucosmopho- rus and Plynops to Cosmophorini; Ecclitura to Dinocampini; Chrysopophthorus, Holdawayella and Wesmaelia to Helorimorphini; Proclithroporus and Heia to Towne- silitini. The monotypic tribe Cryptoxilonini is synonymized with Cosmophorini. The genera Pygostolus and Litostolus are placed in a separate tribe, Pygostolini, previously recognized as a subtribe among the Centistini. Parsimony-based ancestral state recon- structions suggest that the ancestor of Euphorinae was a parasitoid of lepidopteran larvae, and that a host shift to larval Coleoptera occurred only in one clade of the Meteorini, some members of which secondarily shifted back to larval lepidopteran hosts. In the remainder of the subfamily, there was an initial shift from larval to adult coleopterans, followed by subsequent shifts to adults or larvae of Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera and Psocoptera. 

Empidoidea represent a large and diverse superfamily of true flies, and to date no stable hypothesis on the phylogeny exists. Previous classifications have been based on morphological data and the relationships among several groups are still unknown. Using the mitochondrial genes cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) and cytochrome β (Cytβ) and the nuclear genes carbomoylphosphate synthase domain of rudimentary (CAD), elongation factor‐1α (EF‐1α) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) in a Bayesian analysis, we tested the support of higher taxonomic groups within this large superfamily of flies. We re‐evaluated previous hypotheses of evolution within the group and present a highly supported phylogenetic hypothesis. Atelestidae, Dolichopodidae, Empididae and Hybotidae were supported as monophyletic families, with Atelestidae as sister group to the remaining Empidoidea. Within the family Hybotidae, Bicellariinae stat.n. formed the sister group to the other subfamilies. The family Ragadidae stat.n. is established to include the subfamily Ragadinae and the new subfamily Iteaphilinae subfam.n.; Ragadidae was sister group to the Empididae. Dolichopodidae was found to form a sister group to Ragadidae plus Empididae. Within Empididae, Hemerodromiinae was found to be a nonmonophyletic group. The tribes Hilarini and Hemerodromiini stat. rev. were recovered as sister groups, as were Empidini and Chelipodini stat. rev. The former family Brachystomatidae was found to be nested within Empididae. A revised classification and diagnoses of nondolichopodid families, subfamilies and tribes are provided.

This study presents the first molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Clinocerinae, challenging the traditionally accepted monophyly of this subfamily. DNA was extracted from fresh and museum specimens representing all biogeographical regions. Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) phylogenetic analyses were performed based on sequences from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome β, and three nuclear genes, carbomoylphosphate synthase domain of rudimentary, elongation factor-1α and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Through molecular data and morphological examination, our results reveal a division within Clinocerinae, distinguishing ‘typical’ or Clinocerinae (s.s.) from several genera, specifically Afroclinocera Sinclair, Asymphyloptera Collin and Proagomyia Collin, possibly lending support for a reclassification of these genera outside Clinocerinae. Bergenstammia Mik is proposed as a junior synonym of Phaeobalia Mik, syn. n., and the following new combinations are recognized: Phaeobalia albanica (Wagner) comb. n., Phaeobalia aurinae (Pusch & Wagner) comb. n., Phaeobalia carniolica (Horvat) comb. n., Phaeobalia frigida (Vaillant) comb. n., Phaeobalia glacialis (Palaczyk & Słowińska) comb. n., Phaeobalia multiseta (Strobl) comb. n., Phaeobalia nudimana (Vaillant) comb. n., Phaeobalia nudipes (Loew) comb. n., Phaeobalia pulla (Vaillant & Wagner) comb. n., Phaeobalia pyrenaica (Vaillant & Vinçon) comb. n., Phaeobalia slovaca (Wagner) comb. n. and Phaeobalia thomasi (Vaillant & Vinçon) comb. n. Re-evaluation of the genus Roederiodes resulted in the following new combinations: Clinocerella macedonicus (Wagner & Horvat) comb. n. and Clinocerella montenegrinus (Wagner & Horvat) comb. n. The origins of Clinocerinae (s.s.) are traced back to the Holarctic region, Laurasian origin, with a likely complex history of dispersal events into the Southern Hemisphere. Based on current knowledge, the greatest generic and species richness is confined to the Palaearctic Region. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolutionary relationships and distribution patterns of Clinocerinae (s.s.), challenging existing taxonomic classifications and shedding light on their historical biogeography.