The Afrotropical bristle flies (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Tachinidae are among the most diverse families of flies and represent one of the most important groups of parasitoids worldwide. However, the diversity, taxonomy and biology of tachinids in the Global South is generally poorly known. This is particularly true for the Afrotropical Region. Here, we present an overview of, and highlights from, our forthcoming chapter on Tachinidae of the Afrotropical Region for the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera, Volume 4. In this work, we provide a summary of the diversity, taxonomic composition, and biologies of the Afrotropical fauna, which includes 1,133 named species and probably an equivalent number of undescribed species. We also provide a dichotomous key for the identification of the 235 known genera in the region (and 21 undescribed genera) and summaries of the diversity and distribution of each genus, along with abundant (600+) figures to aid in identification of genera. This work represents a major step forward in understanding the diversity and composition of Afrotropical Tachinidae and provides a valuable resource to facilitate identification and spur further research on this poorly understood “bristle fly” fauna.