Nominal genera and species misidentified to family by A.Z. Lehrer are revised and annotated, with habitus photographs given for all holotypes. New synonyms in the Muscidae: Dobrogiella Lehrer & Oprişan, 2013 = Pyrellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov., Dobrogiella phallogreciana Lehrer & Oprişan, 2013 = Pyrellia vivida Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov. New synonyms and new combinations in the Tachinidae: Benigramma Lehrer, 2013 = Thelairosoma Villeneuve, 1916, syn. nov., B. bellanda Lehrer, 2013 = Thelairosoma bellanda (Lehrer, 2013), comb. nov.; Eweka Lehrer, 2012 = Pales Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov., Eweka cordicerci Lehrer, 2012 = Ctenophorocera [now Pales] pauciseta Mesnil, 1950, syn. nov.; Mawuphalla Lehrer, 2013 = Ceracia Rondani, 1865, syn. nov., Mawuphalla antennomyia Lehrer, 2013 = Myothyria [now Ceracia] africana Mesnil, 1959, syn. nov.; Paraphalloides Lehrer, 2013 = Pales Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov., Paraphalloides epiphallops Lehrer, 2013 = Pales epiphallops (Lehrer, 2013), comb. nov.; Spinuphalla Lehrer, 2013 = Drino Robineau-Desvoidy, 1863, syn. nov., Spinuphalla juxtina Lehrer, 2013 = Drino (Palexorista Townsend, 1921) juxtina (Lehrer, 2013), comb. nov.

Acanthiophilus and Tephritomyia are medium-sized genera in the family Tephritidae. Both exclusively infest plants of the tribe Cardueae and share several morphological characters. Although both were recently revised based on morphological characters, the phylogenetic relationships between these genera and between them and allied genera in the ‘Tephritis group’ remain unclear because no comprehensive morphological or molecular phylogenetic study has been conducted on the group as a whole. Here, we examine whether the two genera form a monophyletic group as suggested by their morphology and life history attributes, and their position within the Tephritis group. We analysed data from two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene as well as 26 morphological characters using Bayesian inference, Maximum Likelihood, and cladistic methods, and conducted an ancestral state analysis to investigate the evolution of morphological traits in this group. Our results confirm the monophyly of Acanthiophilus and Tephritomyia but contrary to our original hypothesis, these genera do not together form a monophyletic group. Instead, they group with Trupanea, which is not restricted to Cardueae host plants. The ancestral state reconstruction suggests that wing pattern and oviscape length are homoplastic characters in the Trupanea clade and are unreliable characters for phylogenetic inference.

Tephritomyia Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a fruitfly genus currently with eight species, all of which develop in flowerheads of Echinops L. spp. (Asteraceae: Cardueae). Most species in the genus are restricted to the Afrotropical Region, but T. despoliata (Hering), T. lauta (Loew), and T. sericea Munro are found only in the Palearctic Region. Tephritomyia lauta was reared from Echinops viscosus DC. but no information on the life history of any other species has been available so far. The phylogeny and geographic origin of the genus have not been studied to date. In the present work, we revise Tephritomyia based on a thorough morphological and cladistc study of all the species, and provide keys and illustrations for all of them. We describe 14 new species, and provide the first descriptions and illustrations of immature stages for this genus. Host-plant records are given for 12 species, including new records for T. lauta. Tephritomyia xiphias Bezzi is assigned to nomina dubia. Our cladistic analysis supports the monophyly of Tephritomyia as defined here, and the limitations of a morphology-based cladistic analysis of this genus are discussed. We conclude that Tephritomyia originated in Africa, and hypothesize that it is most speciose in the Afrotropics as a result of weaker competition over host plants (Echinops spp.) than in other zoogeographic regions.

Acanthiophilus Becker (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a fruit fly genus currently with 10 species, all of which restricted to flowerheads of plants in the family Asteraceae. Most species in the genus are limited to the Afrotropical Region, but Acanthiophilus helianthi (Rossi) is also widespread in the Palearctic Region, where it is considered to be a major pest of safflower. No information on the life history of any of the species other than A. helianthi has been available so far, and the phylogeny and geographic origin of the genus have never been investigated. In this work, we revised Acanthiophilus based on a thorough morphological and cladistic study of the 10 described and three undescribed species and provide a key and illustrations for all of them. We describe Acanthiophilus minor, n. sp., Acanthiophilus summissus, n. sp., and Acanthiophilus unicus, n. sp., and reassign Acanthiophilus astrophorus Hering, Acanthiophilus coarctatus Hering, Acanthiophilus kohleri Hering, Acanthiophilus melanoxanthus Hering, and Acanthiophilus trypaneodes Hering to other genera. The immature stages of Acanthiophilus brunneus Munro are described and illustrated for the first time, and new host plants are recorded for A.brunneus, A. ciconia Munro, A.helianthi, Acanthiophilus lugubris Hering, and A.minor n. sp. Our cladistic analysis supports the taxonomic conclusions and actions, as well as the monophyly of Acanthiophilus as defined here. A dispersal-vicariance analysis suggests that the genus originated in Africa and dispersed from it to other parts of the world following climate changes and the dispersal of its host plants.

Two new closely related species of the genus Otites are described and illustrated: O. freidbergi n. sp. from Israel, and O. friedmani n. sp. from Cyprus. The two species exhibit unusual male terminalia for Otites and other Otitini. Laboratory behavioral observations on live O. freidbergi individuals showed unusually long copulation duration compared to other examined Otitini species.

Two new closely related species of the genus Otites are described and illustrated: O. freidbergi n. sp. from Israel, and O. friedmani n. sp. from Cyprus. The two species exhibit unusual male terminalia for Otites and other Otitini. Laboratory behavioral observations on live O. freidbergi individuals showed unusually long copulation duration compared to other examined Otitini species.

The Ulidiini (Ulidiidae: Ulidiinae) fauna of Israel is reviewed. Eighteen species in three genera (Physiphora, Timia and Ulidia) are recognized. Five species are described as new: Timia fallax n. sp., T. ritae n. sp., Ulidia aurata n. sp., U. hirsuta n. sp. and U. wasimi n. sp. The remaining species are redescribed and all species are illustrated. Keys for the identification of the local Physiphora and Timia species and of the world species of Ulidia are provided.

The Ulidiini (Ulidiidae: Ulidiinae) fauna of Israel is reviewed. Eighteen species in three genera (Physiphora, Timia and Ulidia) are recognized. Five species are described as new: Timia fallax n. sp., T. ritae n. sp., Ulidia aurata n. sp., U. hirsuta n. sp. and U. wasimi n. sp. The remaining species are redescribed and all species are illustrated. Keys for the identification of the local Physiphora and Timia species and of the world species of Ulidia are provided.

The Ulidiini (Ulidiidae: Ulidiinae) fauna of Israel is reviewed. Eighteen species in three genera (Physiphora, Timia and Ulidia) are recognized. Five species are described as new: Timia fallax n. sp., T. ritae n. sp., Ulidia aurata n. sp., U. hirsuta n. sp. and U. wasimi n. sp. The remaining species are redescribed and all species are illustrated. Keys for the identification of the local Physiphora and Timia species and of the world species of Ulidia are provided.

Herina dimorphica n. sp. (type locality Israel) and H. sicula n. sp. (type locality Sicily, Italy) are described and illustrated, and a new species group (the Herina dimorphica species group) is established for both species. H. dimorphica is characterized by a sexually-dimorphic wing pattern and venation. H. sicula is similar albeit not sexually-dimorphic. Almost all known Herina species are assigned to one of nine species groups, which are keyed.

The genus Otites Latreille was recorded for the first time from Israel during the study of Ulidiidae in the local fauna in 2009-2012, with three species occurring here: O. grata Loew, O. nox n. sp. and O. vitalyi n. sp. The three species are described and illustrated, and a key for their identification is provided. Laboratory behavioral observations on live O. grata individuals revealed a new mating trophallaxis behavior: a transfer of substance, during copulation, through the genital tracts of the male to the female, which the female expels and consumes after copulation.