Overlooked insects in neglected ecosystem: new records of Phoridae for Slovakia discovered in rural environment

Abstract

An understudied ecosystem such as a rural area can hold many surprises. In this paper we report the results of a collection at a rural site in eastern Slovakia using a single Malaise trap over a five-month period. From May to September 2023, 70 species of the Diptera family Phoridae were found there, 19 of which represent new species for the Slovak fauna (one sp. of the genus Aenigmatias and 18 spp. of the genus Megaselia). The species richness of the Phoridae fauna in Slovakia has thus increased by almost 9% to 229 species. It is very likely that more intensive research will yield many more interesting records and greatly increase our knowledge of Slovakia’s biodiversity.