The paper reviews all available data on the Baltic amber fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaroidea, excl. Sciaridae and Cecidomyiidae) taxa described to date. The following nomenclatural and taxonomic changes are proposed: New species (11)-Lyprautarossisp. nov., Lyprautameunieri, sp. nov., Dianepsiaelectrica, sp. nov., Dianepsiatatianae, sp. nov., Loewiellamontypythoni, sp. nov., Loewiellabaltica, sp. nov., Palaeoempaliaabavus, sp. nov., Synaphafimbriosa, sp. nov., Synapha chandleri, sp. nov., Allodiameunieri, sp. nov., Acnemiasilobusisp. nov.New combinations (58)-Antriadophilaehrhardti (Loew, 1850), Antriadophilapusilla (Meunier, 1899), Lyprautaceroplatites (Meunier, 1904), Lyprautaceroplatoides (Meunier, 1904), Lyprautakunowi (Meunier, 1904), Lyprautamikii (Meunier, 1904), Lyprautaverralli (Meunier, 1904), Monocentrotagraciosa (Meunier, 1904), Monocentrotaectorsii (Meunier, 1904), Monocentrotamoniliformis (Meunier, 1904), Pyratulaelegantula (Meunier, 1904), Urytalpalongipalpis (Meunier, 1904), Aglaomyiacurvipetiolata (Meunier, 1904), Apolephthisabella (Meunier, 1922), Loewiellaarmipes (Meunier, 1899), Palaeoboletinaanacliniformis (Meunier, 1904), Palaeoboletinabroeckii (Meunier, 1904), Palaeoboletinamutabilis (Meunier, 1904), Palaeoboletinanotata (Meunier, 1923), Palaeoboletinaornata (Meunier, 1922), Palaeoboletinaservata (Meunier, 1922), Palaeodocosiamicropora (Meunier, 1899), Palaeodocosialundstromi (Meunier, 1922), Palaeoempaliaminor (Meunier, 1904), Synaphabrahmi (Meunier, 1917), Synaphacompressa (Loew, 1850), Synaphaelongata (Meunier, 1904), Synaphafimbriata (Meunier, 1904), Synaphahirta (Meunier, 1904), Synaphaoustaleti (Meunier, 1904), Synaphapilosa (Meunier, 1904), Synaphasubhirta (Meunier, 1904), Synaphasyntemniformis (Meunier, 1904), Loewiellainterrupta (Meunier, 1916), Synaphaarchaica (Meunier, 1916), Docosiacurvipetiolata (Meunier, 1904), Docosiapulvillata (Loew, 1850), Ectrepesthoneuraborussica (Meunier, 1904), Ectrepesthoneuradetecta (Meunier, 1923), Ectrepesthoneurafixa Meunier, 1923, Ectrepesthoneuraglabra (Meunier, 1904), Ectrepesthoneuraminuta (Meunier, 1904), Ectrepesthoneurapassa (Meunier, 1923), Ectrepesthoneurarectangulata (Meunier, 1904), Ectrepesthoneuratenera Loew, 1850, Novakiamacrostyla (Loew, 1850), Brachycamptafungicola (Meunier, 1904), Brachypezalongicalcar (Meunier, 1904), Brevicornuleptocerum Loew, 1850, Brevicornuprocerum (Meunier, 1904), Cordylaagilis (Meunier, 1904), Cordylacordyliformis (Meunier, 1904), Cordylainflata Meunier, 1916, Exechiopsis (Exechiopsis) unifurcata (Meunier, 1917), Exechiopsis (Xenexechia) eridana (Meunier, 1916), Neallodiabrevicornis (Meunier, 1904), Rymosiaextincta (Meunier, 1904), Anaclileiainterrupta Loew, 1850. New synonyms (11)-Eokelneria Hebert, Miller & Nel, 2025 (= Kelneria Matile, 1979), syn. nov., Proboletina Meunier, 1904 (= Synapha Meigen, 1818), syn. nov., Palaeoepicypta Meunier, 1904 (= Brachypeza Winnertz, 1864), syn. nov., Platyura distincta Meunier, 1904 (= Platyura ceroplatites Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Palaeoboletina elongatissima Meunier, 1904 (= Boletina anacliniformis Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Palaeoempalia crassipes Meunier, 1904 (= Palaeoempalia mutabilis Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Palaeotrichonta brachycamptites Meunier, 1904 (= Palaeodocosia brachypezoides Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Sciomorpha rara Meunier, 1922 (= Syntemna johannseni Meunier, 1922)), syn. nov., Palaeoempalia cylindrica Meunier, 1904 (= Palaeoempalia brongniarti Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Brachycampta tomentosa Meunier, 1904 (= Brachycampta extincta Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov., Loewiella brevitarsis Meunier, 1923 (= Syntemna compressa Meunier, 1904)), syn. nov.Lectotype designations (52)-Mycetobia defectiva Loew, 1850, Platyura ehrhardti Loew, 1850, Platyura pusilla Meunier, 1899, Platyura ceroplatites Meunier, 1904, Platyura distincta Meunier, 1904, Platyura ceroplatoides Meunier, 1904, Platyura kunowi Meunier, 1904, Platyura verrali Meunier, 1904, Platyura graciosa Meunier, 1904, Platyura ectorsii Meunier, 1904, Platyura moniliformis Meunier, 1904, Asindulum curvipalpe Meunier, 1904, Asindulum longipalpe Meunier, 1904, Loewiella asinduloides Meunier, 1904, Palaeoempalia broeckii Meunier, 1904, Palaeoempalia mutabilis Meunier, 1904, Palaeoempalia crassipes Meunier, 1904, Palaeodocosia brachypezoides Meunier, 1904, Palaeotrichonta brachycamptites Meunier, 1904, Sciophila micropora Meunier, 1899, Empheria minor Meunier, 1904, Palaeoempalia succinea Meunier, 1904, Boletina brahmi Meunier, 1917, Mycetophila compressa Loew, 1850, Syntemna elongata Meunier, 1904, Boletina fimbriata Meunier, 1904, Boletina hirta Meunier, 1904, Boletina oustaleti Meunier, 1904, Boletina subhirta Meunier, 1904, Docosia petiolata Meunier, 1904, Mycetophila pulvillata Loew, 1850, Docosia varia Meunier, 1904, Tetragoneura borussica Meunier, 1904, Sciophila tenera Loew, 1850, Mycetophila macrostyla Loew, 1850, Proneoglaphyroptera eocenica Meunier, 1904, Brachypeza grandis Meunier, 1917, Mycetophila leptocera Loew, 1850, Brachycampta procera Meunier, 1904, Allodia brevicornis Meunier, 1904, Brachycampta extincta Meunier, 1904, Trichonta crassipes Meunier, 1904, Sciophila helmii Meunier, 1904, Sciophila subquadrata Meunier, 1904, Acnemia bolsuisi Meunier, 1904, Anaclileia dissimilis Meunier, 1904, Leia interrupta Loew, 1850, Proanaclinia gibbosa Meunier, 1904, Syntemna compressa Meunier, 1904, Syntemna pinites Meunier, 1904, Syntemna subcylindrica Meunier, 1904, Syntemna subquadrata Meunier, 1904. Neotype designations (6)-Archaeboletina tipuliformis Meunier, 1904, Dianepsia hissa Meunier, 1899, Sciophila armipes Meunier, 1899, Palaeoempalia urbana Meunier, 1922, Boletina pilosa Meunier, 1904, Anaclileia anacliniformis Meunier, 1904. One species is removed from Sciaroidea: Scudderiella scudderi Evenhuis, 1994 (to ?Ceratopogonidae).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Macrocera phalerata (fungus gnat; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Keroplatidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 572.81 megabases. Most of the assembly (97.46%) is scaffolded into 5 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 20.98 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Macrocera phalerata (fungus gnat; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Keroplatidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 572.81 megabases. Most of the assembly (97.46%) is scaffolded into 5 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 20.98 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

We present a genome assembly from a female Sylvicola cinctus (Wood gnat; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Anisopodidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 179.14 megabases. Most of the assembly (99.93%) is scaffolded into 3 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.23 kilobases in length.

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Nothochrysa capitata (a black lacewing; Arthropoda; Insecta; Neuroptera; Chrysopidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 688.43 megabases and 587.48 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (78.72%) is scaffolded into 8 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 16.43 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

Sawflies (Insecta: Symphyta) use their ovipositors to incise plant tissue and deposit eggs, a task that demands precise substrate discrimination while preserving both ovipositor and host. How a passive selective mechanical system such as the ovipositor can discriminate between substrates based on material properties without active sensing or control remained until now an open question. This article presents an analytical model of the selective cutting mechanism inspired by sawfly ovipositors. Substrate cutting is shown to depend on an ultimate stress threshold determined by the interaction between blade geometry and substrate properties. The model captures the transition between cutting and ejection as a competition between a failure and an ejection criterion. Morphological modifiers, including serrulae and banding patterns, are shown to influence the ultimate stress threshold and are strongly dependent on both substrate hardness and elastic modulus. The model explains key previously reported observations obtained from prior experimental work that used scaled up biomimetic blades. These findings suggest novel directions in the design of surgical tools required to cut heterogeneous tissues with minimal extraneous damage. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Heriot-Watt University, James Watt Scholarship

We present a genome assembly from a female Sylvicola cinctus (Wood gnat; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Anisopodidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 179.14 megabases. Most of the assembly (99.93%) is scaffolded into 3 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.23 kilobases in length.

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Eudonia murana (Moorland Grey; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Crambidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 729.58 megabases and 550.40 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (98.55%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W, Z1 and Z2 sex chromosomes. Most of haplotype 2 (95.39%) is scaffolded into 28 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.34 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Nothochrysa capitata (a black lacewing; Arthropoda; Insecta; Neuroptera; Chrysopidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 688.43 megabases and 587.48 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (78.72%) is scaffolded into 8 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 16.43 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

Biomimetic research has drawn inspiration from the knowledge acquired from the diverse morphologies and specialized functions of hymenopteran ovipositors. For example, the morphology of the honeybee stinger was used to create surgical needles that reduce insertion forces, minimize tissue damage, and increase precision. Similarly, the reciprocating drilling mechanisms observed in wood-boring hymenopterans inspired the development of steerable probes for neurosurgery, offering improved control and reduced trauma during penetration. Despite these advances, the ovipositors of sawflies, which promise intricate cutting mechanisms, have remained poorly studied in biomimetics. Unlike wood-boring species, most sawflies typically cut through soft plant tissues using their saw-like ovipositors, which could inspire new designs for precise cutting and sawing devices. This review advocates the need for further research into the structure, mechanical properties and functional principles of sawfly ovipositors to fully exploit their potential in bio-inspiration. We highlight the lack of detailed mechanical studies connecting ovipositor morphology to cutting efficiency and substrate interactions. Understanding these relationships could uncover new principles for engineering applications, such as medical or industrial cutting tools.

The early evolutionary history of the Macrocerinae subfamily (Diptera: Keroplatidae) is poorly understood. However, new material from the Cretaceous, particularly in amber, provides a better understanding of this subject. We reassign the oldest known species of Macrocerinae, Hegalari minor Blagoderov & Arillo, 2002, from the amber of Álava (~105 Mya), to the genus Macrocera ( M. minor comb. nov.). Furthermore, we reassess the systematic position of the problematic genus Burmacrocera Cockerell, 1917 from Cenomanian Burmese amber (~99 Mya), providing evidence that it should be classified within this subfamily. Most significantly, we describe five new species from Burmese amber, including a new genus, Electrocera Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. nov., with two new species ( E. prima Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et sp. nov. and E. payini Pełczyńska & Soszyńska, gen. et. sp. nov.) and three new Macrocera species ( M. vonneguti Pełczyńska & Blagoderov, sp. nov., M. sevciki Pełczyńska & Krzemiński, sp. nov. and M. pawli Pełczyńska, sp. nov.).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Eudonia murana (Moorland Grey; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Crambidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 729.58 megabases and 550.40 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (98.55%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W, Z 1 and Z 2 sex chromosomes. Most of haplotype 2 (95.39%) is scaffolded into 28 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.34 kilobases. This assembly was generated as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, which produces reference genomes for eukaryotic species found in Britain and Ireland.

Until now, the genus Robsonomyia was represented by two extant species: R. reducta Matile & Vockeroth, 1980 from North America and R. sciaraeformis (Okada, 1939) from Asia. This paper presents the first fossil members of the genus Robsonomyia, which is also the first record from Europe. Two new fossil species from Baltic amber are described: R. baltica Pełczyńska, Krzemiński & Blagoderov, sp. nov. and R. henningseni Pełczyńska, Krzemiński & Blagoderov, sp. nov.. The presence of fossil Robsonomyia spp. on the European continent suggests Holarctic distribution of the genus in the past. We also discuss possible pathways of its intercontinental dispersion.

A new genus and species, Cretopleciofungivora simpsoni gen. et sp. nov., from the extinct family Pleciofungivoridae（Diptera: Bibionomorpha）, is discovered in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. Previously, this family was known only from imprints in sedimentary rocks of the Jurassic and the Lower Cretaceous. Discovery of a representative of Pleciofungivoridae in Kachin amber confirms the presence of the family in the Upper Cretaceous. The new species has a unique structure of fore tarsus, with lobed and extended tarsal segments II to IV, a feature hitherto known only in a few species of extant Sciaroidea. Although not particularly rare, the new species is currently known only from female specimens. Possible reasons for this phenomenon, very unusual in Sciaroidea, are briefly discussed, including parthenogenesis as a potentially plausible hypothesis.

Determining when animal populations have experienced stress in the past is fundamental to understanding how risk factors drive contemporary and future species' responses to environmental change. For insects, quantifying stress and associating it with environmental factors has been challenging due to a paucity of time-series data and because detectable population-level responses can show varying lag effects. One solution is to leverage historic entomological specimens to detect morphological proxies of stress experienced at the time stressors emerged, allowing us to more accurately determine population responses. Here we studied specimens of four bumblebee species, an invaluable group of insect pollinators, from five museums collected across Britain over the 20th century. We calculated the degree of fluctuating asymmetry (FA; random deviations from bilateral symmetry) between the right and left forewings as a potential proxy of developmental stress. We: (a) investigated whether baseline FA levels vary between species, and how this compares between the first and second half of the century; (b) determined the extent of FA change over the century in the four bumblebee species, and whether this followed a linear or nonlinear trend; (c) tested which annual climatic conditions correlated with increased FA in bumblebees. Species differed in their baseline FA, with FA being higher in the two species that have recently expanded their ranges in Britain. Overall, FA significantly increased over the century but followed a nonlinear trend, with the increase starting c. 1925. We found relatively warm and wet years were associated with higher FA. Collectively our findings show that FA in bumblebees increased over the 20th century and under weather conditions that will likely increase in frequency with climate change. By plotting FA trends and quantifying the contribution of annual climate conditions on past populations, we provide an important step towards improving our understanding of how environmental factors could impact future populations of wild beneficial insects.

A new species of Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) Skuse, 1890, Lygistorrhina woodi sp. nov., is described. The specimen was dissected from an alcohol-preserved flower of Ceropegia aristolochioides ssp. deflersiana Bruyns (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Ceropegieae) stored in the Kew herbarium. This is the first occurrence of the lygistorrhine gnats in a hot, semi-arid climate. A key to all known species of the subgenus Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) is provided.

Insect declines are a global issue with significant ecological and economic ramifications. Yet, we have a poor understanding of the genomic impact these losses can have. Genome‐wide data from historical specimens have the potential to provide baselines of population genetic measures to study population change, with natural history collections representing large repositories of such specimens. However, an initial challenge in conducting historical DNA data analyses is to understand how molecular preservation varies between specimens. Here, we highlight how Next‐Generation Sequencing methods developed for studying archaeological samples can be applied to determine DNA preservation from only a single leg taken from entomological museum specimens, some of which are more than a century old. An analysis of genome‐wide data from a set of 113 red‐tailed bumblebee Bombus lapidarius specimens, from five British museum collections, was used to quantify DNA preservation over time. Additionally, to improve our analysis and further enable future research, we generated a novel assembly of the red‐tailed bumblebee genome. Our approach shows that museum entomological specimens are comprised of short DNA fragments with mean lengths below 100 base pairs (BP), suggesting a rapid and large‐scale post‐mortem reduction in DNA fragment size. After this initial decline, however, we find a relatively consistent rate of DNA decay in our dataset, and estimate a mean reduction in fragment length of 1.9 bp per decade. The proportion of quality filtered reads mapping to our assembled reference genome was around 50%, and decreased by 1.1% per decade. We demonstrate that historical insects have significant potential to act as sources of DNA to create valuable genetic baselines. The relatively consistent rate of DNA degradation, both across collections and through time, mean that population‐level analyses—for example for conservation or evolutionary studies—are entirely feasible, as long as the degraded nature of DNA is accounted for.

No new information on Pseudagrion bidentatum has been published since its original description by Morton in 1907 based on a single male from western India. Although this species was already regarded as a synonym of either P. hypermelas Selys, 1876, or P. spencei Fraser, 1922, by Fraser in 1933 it was still treated as a valid species on later checklists. Based on a study of the original description and the holotype held at the National Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, we conclude that P. bidentatum is a junior synonym of P. hypermelas.

We present a summary and analysis of the Diptera-related information published in Zootaxa from 2001 to 2020, with a focus on taxonomic papers. Altogether, 2,527 papers on Diptera were published, including 2,032 taxonomic papers and 1,931 papers containing new nomenclatural acts, equivalent to 22% of all publications with new nomenclatural acts for Diptera. The new nomenclatural acts include 7,431 new species, 277 new genera, 2,003 new synonymies, and 1,617 new combinations. A breakdown by family of new taxa and new replacement names proposed in the journal during the last two decades is provided, together with a comparison of Zootaxa's output to that of all other taxonomic publications on Diptera. Our results show that the journal has contributed to 20% of all biodiversity discovery in this megadiverse insect order over the last 20 years, and to about 31% in the last decade.