The taxonomy of genus Ambulyx Westwood, 1847 from China is reviewed based on analysis of wing morphology, male and female genitalia and phylogenetic relationships derived from DNA barcodes. A new species, Ambulyx wukong sp. nov. is described from NW Yunnan, China. A male of the rare species, A. zhejiangensis from Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China is examined and its male genitalia illustrated for the first time. Two taxa are newly recorded from China, A. tattina tattina from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, and A. semiplacida montana from Pingbian, Yunnan. Distribution maps, biological notes, and ecological records are also given.

Diptera is one of the most ecologically significant and species-rich insect orders, but there are still unresolved phylogenetic relationships among its basal lineages, particularly within the infraorder Blephariceromorpha, due to limited molecular data. To address this gap, this study employs two parallel genomic approaches: mitochondrial genomes and nuclear genomic analysis, covering 64 families and over 100 species of Diptera and their outgroups, to elucidate these phylogenetic relationships. Our results strongly support the monophyly of each constituent family (Blephariceridae, Deuterophlebiidae, and Nymphomyiidae), yet they reject the monophyly of Blephariceromorpha. Crucially, we found that Deuterophlebiidae and Nymphomyiidae form a sister group representing the basal-most lineage of Diptera, whereas Blephariceridae is positioned within Psychodomorpha. This indicates that the similar larval habitats and morphological traits shared between Blephariceridae and the Nymphomyiidae + Deuterophlebiidae clade are the result of convergent evolution. By resolving long-standing debates on the relationships within Blephariceromorpha and the basal lineages of Diptera, this study provides new insights into the evolutionary history of Diptera, especially within the suborder Nematocera.

In the original publication [...].

The Luciolinae genus Emeia Fu, Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2012 is reviewed. Firefly species tree is reconstructed based upon phylogenetic analysis of CO1 barcoding sequences from 42 fireflies and 2 outgroup species, including three main Lampyridae sub-families: Luciolinae, Photurinae and Lampyrinae. The genus Emeia belongs to Luciolinae based on morphological and DNA sequence level evidences, the diagnostic features for male adults include pink-red pronotum with a black median stripe, subparallel-sided pronotum, un-developed elytral humeral carina. In this study, a new Emeia species,Emeia pulchra sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the wetland of Lishui, Zhejiang, China. The new species is sister to E. pseudosauteri in the Emeia genus which is supported by characteristic morphological features and DNA barcoding data. The two species are separated geographically as shown on the distribution map. A key to the males of the species of Emeia is also provided.