Open Access

Brian J. Armitage, Tomás A. Ríos González

• There are 214 species of the suborder Tipulomorpha (Diptera) known from Panama. Of these, 162 species were described by the noted American entomologist, Charles Paul Alexander, from Panama during the period from 1912 through 1979. Panama hosts two of the four families found within the Tipulomorpha: Limoniidae (197 species) and Tipulidae (17 species). We have records of only three species from multiple provinces (n = 2) within Panama and 211 species from just one province. The vast majority of the latter are known from a single location within their respective provinces. There are 142 endemic species (66.4%) included in Panama’s Tipulomorpha fauna, with the remainder being found elsewhere in South America (48 species), Central America (44), Mexico (23 species), the Caribbean (14 species), and the United States (4 species). Whereas, this taxonomic group has benefited from collecting in the Canal Zone and the popular western highlands in Chiriqui Province, we know little or nothing of the distribution of species within the country, their natural history, or their relationship to water quality.
• Existen 214 especies del suborden Tipulomorpha (Diptera) conocidas de Panamá. Charles Paul Alexander describió 162 especies durante el período comprendido entre 1912 y 1979. Panamá alberga dos de las cuatro familias encontradas dentro de Tipulomorpha: Limoniidae (197 especies) y Tipulidae (17 especies). Tenemos registros de solo tres especies de múltiples provincias (n = 2) dentro de Panamá y 211 especies de una sola provincia. La gran mayoría de estos últimos son conocidos desde un solo lugar con sus respectivas provincias. Hay 142 especies endémicas (66.4%) incluidas en la fauna de Tipulomorpha de Panamá, y el resto se encuentra en Sudamérica (48 especies), otras partes de América Central (44), México (23 especies), el Caribe (14 especies) y Estados Unidos (4 especies). Considerando que, este grupo taxonómico se ha beneficiado de la recolección en la Zona del Canal y las tierras altas occidentales populares en la provincia de Chiriquí, sabemos poco o nada de la distribución de las especies dentro del país, su historia natural, o su relación con la calidad del agua.