Taxonomic revision of the genus Cryptochetum Rondani, 1857 (Diptera: Cryptochetidae) from Pakistan with a new country...

The polyphagous mealybug genus Drosicha Walker, 1858 is currently represented by three species in Pakistan: D. mangiferae (Stebbing, 1903), D. stebbingii (Stebbing, 1902), and D. turkestanica Archangelskaya, 1931. Among these, D. turkestanica is recorded herein for the first time from Pakistan, with its distribution restricted to the northern regions of the country, Gilgit-Baltistan. Its endoparasitic fly, Cryptochetum turanicum Nartshuk, 1979, is also newly recorded from Pakistan, confirmed through adult morphology, male and female terminalia, DNA barcoding, and biogeographical evidence. These results expand the known geographical range of both the parasitoid and its host toward the southeastern Palaearctic distribution, contributing significant evidence for the Palaearctic regional fauna in Gilgit-Baltistan. We also provide an updated global checklist of Cryptochetum species, including comparative notes, host associations, diagnostic characters, distribution data, and a taxonomic identification key to the species known from Pakistan. Furthermore, Cryptochetum jorgepastori Cadahia, 1984 syn. nov. is proposed as a junior synonym of C. turanicum Nartshuk, 1979.