Diptera Diversity: Status, Challenges and Tools

Dan Bickel, Ph.D. in Entomology (Cornell University), is Senior Research Scientist at the Australian Museum, Sydney. He has a wide interest in Diptera systematics and ecology, and has a research interest in empidoid Diptera (Empididae and Dolichopodidae).Thomas Pape, Ph.D. in Entomology (University of Copenhagen), is associate professor at The Natural History Museum of Denmark. With a broad interest in Diptera systematics and zoological nomenclature, he has published extensively on the global fauna of flesh flies (Sarcophagidae), wood-louse flies (Rhinophoridae) and bot flies (Oestridae).Rudolf Meier, Ph.D. in Entomology (Cornell University), is Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is interested in the evolution and biology of Diptera. He furthermore uses quantitative techniques for studying the biodiversity and conservation of invertebrates.

This book is one of those rare things: a multi-author, multi-editor collection of papers that comes together in a truly essential volume. It is a milestone in dipterology and will be a much-consulted volume for anyone interested in biodiversity and biogeography... It is essential reading for anybody interested in Diptera or global zoogeography, and would be of value to anyone with an interest in taxonomy and biodiversityS.A. Marshall, University of Guelph, in Bulletin de la Société d'entomologie du Canada volume 42(2), June 2010The nine regional treatments are very thorough reviews, each written by a leading dipterist of the continent or region... The book is very well designed, and has lots of pretty very sharp colour photographs. Diptera Diversity certainly deserves to be read by more entomologists than just dipterists...In short, entomologists with an interest in biodiversity, I would advise to buy this book as well, and it should not be missing from any entomological library.Erik J. Van Nieukerken, Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, volume 152, 2009[T]his book serves well to elucidate both the state of progress as well as still existing shortcomings and impediments of dipterological biodiversity research today.M. Kotrba, Mitteilungen der Muenchner Entomologischen Gesellschaft, Band 99, 2009This publication is very clearly arranged and printed, and good evidence of the leading position of dipterology within entomology.... All the 21 contributors are worldwide authorities on Diptera and all the chapters are clearly written and represented in Q.D. Wheeler words a "singular important empirical and theoretical achievement".M. Chvála, Eur. J. Entomol., volume 106, 2009The most important highlight of this contribution is the inclusion of all major biogeographical regions and their wide coverage. What sets this book apart from others is the logistics of taxonomic coverage, encompassing all the major faunistic groups along with simultaneous deliverations on their diversity...The views of the contributing authors suggesting that integrative taxonomy is the only logical and practicaql way forward for taxonomy is well apparent in this treatise. Such proficient attempt to specifiy exactly where more work is needed is commendable and important as it is reflected in all the reveiws of major taxa included here... The comprehensive extent of topic and issues raised is fairly remarkable for any single volume. The fact that these are raised in the background of empirically rich volume based on extremely diverse taxon of worldwide importance is simply exceptional.Shakti Kumar Singh & V.V. Ramamurthy, Oriental Insects, volume 43, 2009.