Revision of Belvosia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera, Tachinidae) and 33 new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica with a key to known North and Mesoamerican species

A groundbreaking revision of the fly genus Belvosia (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Costa Rica's Area de Conservación Guanacaste reveals 33 new species, significantly expanding our understanding of this diverse group. This work, part of an ongoing inventory of wild-caught caterpillars across multiple lepidopteran families, provides detailed morphological descriptions, molecular data, and photographic documentation for each species. The study also redefines the genus Belvosia with a comprehensive identification key for North and Mesoamerican species, while proposing new synonyms and combinations that clarify taxonomic relationships. Notably, it records Belvosia canalis from the region and provides updated host information. This research underscores the biodiversity of tropical ecosystems and contributes critical data to conservation efforts in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Fleming, A., Woodley, N., Smith, M. A., Hallwachs, W., & Janzen, D. (2023). Revision of Belvosia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera, Tachinidae) and 33 new species from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica with a key to known North and Mesoamerican species. Biodiversity Data Journal, 11. https://doi.org/10.3897/bdj.11.e103667