Bibionidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) from Uruguay: updated inventory including first reports of four species

Abstract

Bibionidae is a family of flies known as March flies or lovebugs. An updated list of March flies analyzed until now from Uruguay is presented. The data provided here are based on specimens deposited in the two larger Uruguayan entomological collections, new samples and literature records of Bibionidae in Uruguay. Eight species from three genera are recorded in the country, namely: Bibio Geoffroy, with the species Bibio dacunhai Hardy, Dilophus Meigen with four species, Dilophus collaris Guérin-Méneville, Dilophus pectoralis Wiedemann, Dilophus aff. tetracanthus and Dilophus sp. 1; and Plecia Wiedemann, with three species, Plecia collaris (Fabricius), Plecia gibbosa Hardy and Plecia ramosa Fitzgerald. Unidentified morphospecies were observed in iNaturalist records indicating that more species must be present in the country. Besides, a different morph of P. gibbosa, named here as Plecia aff. gibbosa may represent another species. Bibio dacunhai, P. collaris, P. gibbosa and P. ramosa as well as the genera Bibio and Plecia, are recorded for the first time in Uruguay. Additionally, species previously recorded from Uruguay are discussed and the first record of wild boar feeding on Bibionidae larvae in the Neotropical region is reported.