Description

Volume 30.1. Diptera: Nematocera covers the Australian representatives of the many, and often very important, dipteran families grouped under the suborder Nematocera. It catalogues 23 families, 44 subfamilies, 61 tribes, over 300 genera, 199 sub genera, some 2400 species, and nearly 3000 species available names. Coverage includes Mosquitoes (Culicidae), Biting midges and Sandflies (Ceratopogonidae and phlebotomine Psychodidae), and Blackflies (Simuliidae) which are all of critical importance to public health. These insects are vectors of diseases such as malaria and arbo-viruses including Ross River virus, Dengue Fever, while others are vectors of canine heartworm and myxomatosis.

Researchers involved in river health programmes can check baseline taxonomic, distributional and ecological data on important taxa, such as Chironomidae, Tipulidae and Chaoboridae. Biogeographers will welcome the distributional and ecological information.

This 'Yellow Pages' documentation of Australia's Nematocera has significance beyond Australia for public health workers, agriculturalists, environment and conservation managers, and biogeographers.