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image of a fly face
Sepedonea giovana,
a new "snail killing" fly (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

Wayne N. Mathis, Curator of Diptera

  • Phone:   202-633-1014
  • Fax:   202-786-2894
  • E-mail Address:   mathisw@si.edu
  • USPS Address:
    Smithsonian Institution
    PO Box 37012, MRC 169, Rm. CE-619
    Washington, DC 20013-7012
  • Public Carrier Address:
    Smithsonian Institution
    National Museum of Natural History
    10th & Constitution NW
    Washington, DC 20560-0169
  • Education:
    BS Brigham Young
    PhD Oregon State
 Wayne Mathis at microscope

Related Websites:
http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/people/wmathis.htm
http://www.nadsdiptera.org/index.htm
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cee/FLYTREE/flyothercollab.htm

Research Interests:

For over 40 years, I have focused on the systematics and evolution of higher Diptera (true flies), especially families in the Ephydroidea and Opomyzoidea. My research primarily employs the methodology of cladistic analysis to unravel, reconstruct, and document phylogenetic relationships and how these relationships impinge on historical biogeography. The phylogenetic investigations and analyses run the gamut from species-level revisions to basal lineages of superfamilies. Documentation includes comprehensive systematics studies at all levels of the classification, faunistic studies, catalogs and conspectuses. Although my comprehensive studies are global, I have focused field work in the neotropics, especially the Caribbean, and on islands, such as Sri Lanka, the Seychelles, New Zealand, and the barrier islands of Belize.

During my tenure at the Smithsonian Institution, I have had the pleasure of working with numerous postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate fellows and interns, including Dr. Amnon Freidberg (1979 1980), Dr. Kumar Ghorpadé (1983 1984), Dr. Martha Condon (1987 1989), Dr. Jon K. Gelhaus (1989-1990), Dr. Gregory W. Courtney (1990-1992), Dr. Marion Kotrba (1995-1996), Dr. Darlene D. Judd (1996-1998), Dr. Volker Hollmann (1997-1998), Dr. Stephen D. Gaimari (1999-2000), Dr. Masahiro Sueyoshi (2004-2005), Dr. James F. Edmiston (1989), Dr. Richard G. Robbins (1990), Dr. Ilka C. Feller (1989-1994), Dr. Suely Marques (1992), Dr. Alessandra Rung (1996-2004), Dr. Peter Hibbs Kerr (1997-2003), Dr. Brian Wiegmann (1989), Dr. Thomas Pape (1987 1988), Dr. Navin Rao (1994), Dr. Kevin Holston (1995), Dr. Luciane Marinoni (1991, 2002), Mr. Isaac S. Winkler (2002, currently in a PhD program), Ms. Rachael Eden (1996), Mr. Torsten Dikow (2000, currently in a PhD program), Ms. Michelle D. Trautwein (2001, currently in a PhD program), Mr. Jin Zuyin (1987-1988). My collaboration with Dr. Tadeusz Zatwarnicki (University of Opole, Poland) over the last 20 years has been especially productive.

My collection responsibilities at the Smithsonian include over 750,000 specimens (pinned, alcohol, and slides) in over 20 families of Diptera.

Selected Publications:

Foster, G.A. and W.N. Mathis, 2008. A review of the Tethininae (Diptera: Canacidae) from the Galapagos Islands. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110(3): 743-752.

Foster, G.A. and W.N. Mathis, 2008. Review of the genus Tethina Haliday (Diptera: Canacidae: Tethininae) from western North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110(2): 300-330.

Mathis, W.N. 2008. Two new neotropical genera of the shore-fly tribe Ephydrini Zetterstedt (Diptera: Ephydridae). Zootaxa 1874: 1-15.

Mathis, W.N. and D. Mathis (2008) Shore flies (Diptera: Ephydridae) of Plummers Island. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, :173-191

Mathis, W.N. and H. Ohishi (2008) Revision of the shore-fly genus Eremomusca Mathis (Diptera : Ephydridae) with description of a new species from Japan. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110(1):67-78

Brake, I. and W. N. Mathis (2008) Revision of the genus Australimyza Harrison (Diptera: Australimyzidae). Systematic Entomology 32(2): 252-275.

Edmiston, J. F. and W. N. Mathis (2007) New Zealand species of the shore-fly genus Nostima Coquillett (Diptera : Ephydridae). Zootaxa 1661: 1-16.

Mathis, W. N. and G. A. Foster. 2007. Canacidae (Diptera) from the Delmarva States. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 120(4):387-428 PDF icon

Marinoni, L. and W. N. Mathis. 2006. A cladistic analysis of the Neotropoical genus Sepedonea Steyskal (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). Zootaxa 1236: 37-52.PDF icon

Mathis, W. N. and T. Zatwarnicki. 2006. A review of the New World species of the shore-fly genus Leptopsilopa Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae). Annales Zoologica 56(1): 85-138.

Mathis, W. N., B. A. Castro, M. O. Wasy and T. Zatwarnicki. 2006. Discovery of the South American rice miner (Diptera: Ephydridae) in the Southeastern United States. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99(6): 999-1005.PDF icon

Edmiston, J. F. and Mathis, W. N. 2005. A review of two Nearctic species of the shore-fly genus Philygria Stenhammar, P. debilis Loew and P. nigrescens (Cresson) (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107(1): 7-20.

Edmiston, J. F., and Mathis, W. N. 2005. A revision of the New World species of the shore-fly subgenus Nostima Coquillett (Genus Philygria Stenhammar; Diptera: Ephydridae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology.

Mathis, W. N. and Manuel Zumbado. 2005. Description of Scatella savegre, a new species from Costa Rica in the triseta group (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107(2): 386-391.

Mathis, W. N. and Zatwarnicki, T. 2005. Revision of New World species of shore fly genus Discomyza Meigen (Diptera: Ephydridae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 98(4): 431-443.PDF icon

Mathis, W. N. and Zumbado, M. A. 2005. Description of Scatella savegre, a new species from Costa Rica in the triseta group (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107(2): 386-391.

Rung, A., Wayne N. Mathis and L. Papp. 2005. Curiosimusca, gen. nov., and three new species in the family Aulacigastridae from the Oriental Region (Diptera: Opomyzoidea). Zootaxa 1009: 21-36.PDF icon

Cheng, Lanna, and Mathis, W. N. 2004. Marine insects of Guam: Heteroptera and Diptera. Micronesica 35/36: 514-522.

Mathis, W. N., and Rung, Alessandra. 2004. Redescription of the genus Diopsosoma Malloch (Diptera, Periscelididae). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 48(3): 303-309.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. A revision of the shore-fly genus Cressonomyia Arnaud (Diptera: Ephydridae), with comments on species that have been excluded. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 106(2): 249-279.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. A review of two Nearctic shore-fly species in the genus Psilopa Fallén that were included in the genus Cressonomyia Arnaud (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 106(3): 639-648.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. Description of a new species of Hyadina Haliday from southern California (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 106(3): 705-716.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. A review of the species of Hyadina Haliday (Diptera: Ephydridae) occurring in Israel. Israel Journal of Entomology 34: 35-57.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. A revision of the shore-fly genus Trimerogastra Hendel (Diptera: Ephydridae). Bishop Museum Bulletins in Entomology 12: 89-108.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2004. Tronamyia, a new genus of shore-flies and a phylogenetic reassessment of the tribe Lipochaetini Becker (Diptera: Ephydridae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 97(2): 259-270.PDF icon

Steyskal, George C., F. Christian Thompson, Wayne N. Mathis, and Lloyd Knutson. 2004. The type species of Ilione (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). Studia Dipterologica 10(2): 559-564.

Sueyoshi, Masahiro, and Wayne N. Mathis. 2004. A new species of Cyamops Melander, 1913 (Diptera: Periscelididae) from Japan and a review of the Japanese Periscelididae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 106(1): 74-84.

Foster, George A., and Mathis, W. N. 2003. A revision of the genera Pelomyia Williston and Masoniella Vockeroth (Diptera: Tethinidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Isaac S. Winkler. 2003. A review of the Neotropical species of Brachydeutera Loew (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 105: 407-424.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Michelle C. Trautwein. 2003. A revision and phylogenetic study of Lipochaeta Coquillett (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 105: 30-49.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2003. Shore flies of the Republic of Seychelles (Diptera: Ephydridae). Annales Zoologici 51(1): 5-51.

Dikow, Torsten, and Mathis, W. N. 2002. A revision and phylogenetic study of Actocetor Becker (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 104(2): 249-290.

Freidberg, Amnon, and Mathis, W. N. 2002. The Periscelididae (Diptera) of Israel, with description of a new species of Stenomicra Coquillett. Israel Journal of Zoology 48: 43-51.

Mathis, Wayne N., and Tadeusz Zatwarnicki. 2002. A phylogenetic study of the tribe Dryxini Zatwarnicki (Diptera: Ephydridae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, Washington. 100 pp.

Kirk-Spriggs, A.H., J.W. Ismay, M. Ackland, J. Rohácek, W.N. Mathis, G.A. Foster, T. Pape, P.S. Cranston and R. Meier. 2001. Inter-tidal Diptera of southwestern Africa (Chironomidae, Canacidae, Chloropidae, Milichiidae, Tethinidae, Ephydridae, Sphaeroceridae, Coelopidae, Sarcophagidae and Anthomyiidae). Cimbebasia 17: 85-135.

Papp, L., and Wayne N. Mathis. 2001. A review of the family Nannodastiidae (Diptera). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 103(2): 337-348.

Zatwarnicki, Tadeusz, and Mathis, W. N. 2001. A generic classification of the tribe Discocerinini (Diptera: Ephydridae). Annales Zoologici 51(1): 1-51.

Baptista, Alessandra R. P., and Mathis, W. N. 2000. Notes on the genus Cyamops Melander (Diptera: Periscelididae), including description of ten new species. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 102(3): 481-506.

Foster, George A., and Mathis, W. N. 2000. Notes on the Neotropical species of Tethina Haliday (Diptera: Tethinidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 102(33): 542-548.

Marinoni, Luciane, and Wayne N. Mathis. 2000. A cladistic analysis of Sciomyzidae Fallén (Diptera). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 113(1): 162-209.

Mathis, Wayne N., and David A. Grimaldi. 2000. The first Beckeriella Williston from the Afrotropical Region: two new species from Madagascar (Diptera: Ephydridae). Pp. 105-115. In: S. M. Goodman. A floral and faunal inventory of the Parc National de Marojejy, Madagascar: with reference to elevational variation. Fieldiana: Zoology, Chicago. pdf

Mathis, Wayne N., and James F. Edmiston. 2000. A revision of the shore-fly genus Lemnaphila Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 102(3): 652-677.

Mathis, W. N. 1999. A Review of the Beach-Fly Genus Isocance Mathis (Diptera: Canacidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 101(2): 347-358.

Foster, George A., and Mathis, W. N. 1998. A revision of the Family Tethinidae (Diptera) from the Carribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Bermuda. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 100(4): 601-632.

Mathis, W. N. and Zatwarnicki, T. 1998. A Review of the West Indian Species of Mimapsilopa Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 100(1): 7-24.

Feller, I. C. and Mathis, W. N. 1997. Primary Herbivory by Wood-Boring Insects along an Architectural Gradient of Rhizophora mangle. Biotropica 29(4): 440-451.

Mathis, W. N. 1997. A Review of the Hoguei Group of Paracanace Mathis and Wirth (Diptera: Canacidae). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Washington 18: 140-148.

Mathis, W. N. 1997. A Review of the Shore-Fly Genus Diphuia Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 99(1): 28-36.

Mathis, W. N. 1997. A Revision of Neotropical Ditricohphora Cresson (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 99(4): 697-704.

Mathis, W. N. 1997. Shore Flies of the Belizean Cays (Diptera: Ephydridae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 592: 1-77.

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