Thread subject: Diptera.info :: UK ID Book?

Posted by Kahis on 12-12-2005 22:15
#3

Hi. Possibly the best genus-level keys I've seen are in the Manual of Nearctic diptera (three volumes). It's definitely not cheap (but still much cheaper than the corresponding Palearctic magnus opus). While the nearctic keys are for North American fauna, the differences at genus level are small especially from us N/NW. At least vol. 1 is out of print.

If you can afford it, then Papp, L. & Darvas, B. (eds.) Contributions to a Manual of Palearctic Diptera is excellent if a bit overwhelming at times. It covers most but not all families (among the missing families is my favourite, Dolichopodidae:().

Bei-Bienko (ed): Keys to the insects of the European part of the USSR. V. Diptera and Siphonaptera has genus- and species-level keys for (nominally) all Diptera recorded from (what was) European USSR. It is already quite old - originally published in 1969 - and the english translation is also out of print :(

I'm not aware of any other works with keys for most European dipteran genera.