On the identity of Leucopis (Diptera Chamaemyiidae) described by Camillo Rondani: a revision of eight silver fly species

The dipterologist Camillo Rondani described a wide number of new Diptera species, including 12 species of silver flies (Diptera Chamaemyiidae). The first Rondani description of Chamaemyiidae was carried out in 1847 in his research “Osservazioni sopra parecchie specie di esapodi afidicidi e sui loro nemici”. Among them, Ochtiphila obscuripes Rondani 1875 was considered by Czerny (1936) synonymous of Chamaemyia geniculata (Zetterstedt 1838). Later on, Raspi shed light on the identity of Leucopis palumbii Rondani 1872 (Raspi, 1983b; 1988); Leucopis bursaria Rondani 1848 (Raspi, 2003) and Ochtiphila frontella Rondani 1875 (Raspi, 2006). In this research, the identity of the other Leucopis species described by Rondani is estabilished. The valid species are Leucopis (Leucopis) aphidivora Rondani 1847, of which Leucopis fiorii Raspi 1986 is a new synonym; Leucopis (Leucopis) aphidiperda Rondani 1848; Leucopis (Leucopis) misaphida Rondani 1848; Leucopis (Leucopis) minuscula Rondani 1875; Leucopis (Leucopis) talaria Rondani 1875; Leucopomyia palliditarsis (Rondani 1875), of which Leucopis alticeps Czerny 1936 is a new synonym. Leucopis (Leucopis) armillata Rondani 1875 is a new synonym of Leucopis palumbii Rondani 1872, and Leucopis ballestrerii Rondani 1875 is a new synonym of Leucopomyia silesiaca (Egger 1862). Overall, concerning the twelve species of Chamaemyiidae described by Camillo Rondani, nine of them are still considered valid species. This study adds basic knowledge to silver fly systematics and has helpful implications concerning Chamaemyiidae-based biological control programs.