taxonID	type	description	language	source
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: DFD 87 DA 3 - CAED- 4 A 62 - 859 D- 2675838342 B 8	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	type_taxon	Type species Falakia galactica gen. et sp. nov., here designated.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Medium-sized, mostly colourful species. Antennal flagellomeres bottle-neck-like as in Sciara and Hirtipennia. Wing membrane mostly covered with macrotrichia. Gonostylus without apical tooth, and with a group of 3 – 7 spines arranged in various patterns on a distinct dorsal lobe.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	etymology	Etymology This genus is named in honour of the late Mr Falak Shah (Manki, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), father of the first author, in tribute to his unwavering sacrifices in supporting the first author’s education, despite financial hardships.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	description	Description Mostly bright species, only few with dark colour. Head generally brown or dark brown. Antenna typically yellowish brown with basal three flagellomeres yellow. Eye bridge 3 – 4 facets wide. Face and clypeus with few setae. Maxillary palpus long, 3 - segmented; basal segment with several bristles. Fourth antennal flagellomere 2.85 – 3.66 times as long as wide; neck short, bottleneck-like; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Postpronotum setose. Wing mostly large with width / length = 0.36 – 0.41; membrane almost completely covered with macrotrichia, Sc fainted, reaching the level of Rs; R 1 joining the C at or beyond the base of the M-fork; stM weakly visible; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia. Haltere pale to yellowish brown, with long stem. Legs mostly yellowish; coxae darkened; femora and tibiae yellow to yellowish brown; fore tibia without noticeable spines; fore tibial spur usually longer than tibial width. Abdomen mostly setose. Hypopygium mostly brown; gonocoxite generally as long as or longer than gonostylus; inner side of gonocoxite mostly non-setose or rarely found short hairs. Gonostylus stout, without apical tooth; apex with short hairs, with a group of 3 – 7 spines (megasetae) arranged in various patterns on a dorsal lobe. Tegmen membranous, longer than wide. Aedeagal rod mostly long, with a fork, Y-shaped.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	distribution	Distribution Palearctic, Oriental, and Nearctic regions.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2067A0E00BEF8D2FA91FB3B.taxon	discussion	Remarks The genus is closely related to Hirtipennia in having the wing membrane covered with macrotrichia and bottle-neck shaped antennal flagellomeres, but can be differentiated by lacking apical tooth at the gonostylus and having an extended dorsal lobe with a group of spines (megasetae). Both genera are sharing characters with Sciara by having the same kind of antennal flagellomeres, the wing with Sc extended to or beyond Rs, and no conspicuous spines on the tibia. Some species of Sciara also have macrotrichia on the wing membrane to a lesser extent, only a few have a more complete coverage. But species of Sciara are generally larger and often darker. In an unpublished phylogenetic analysis using whole mitogenomes on Sciaridae from China, Falakia gen. nov. came out in between different clades of Sciara. In order to keep the morphologically well-defined Falakia and Hirtipennia as distinct genera, the paraphyletic and species-rich genus Sciara will be split into new, defined species groups (Shah et al. in prep.), later to be treated as distinct genera.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 8096013 B- 139 F- 426 B-A 0 E 1 - D 7 E 12 F 6857 D 4 Fig. 2	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Wing membrane with macrotrichia at apical two thirds. Gonostylus with three subapical, nearly straight, spines on additional dorsal lobe.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	etymology	Etymology The species name is derived from the Latin words ‘ bi ’ (‘ two’) and ‘ color ’ (‘ colour’) referring to the beautiful appearance of the habitus with yellow and brown colour at first glance.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Xizang Autonomous Region • ♂; Motuo, Damuxiang; 29 ° 29 ′ 48 ″ N, 95 ° 15 ′ 47 ″ E; elev. 1530 m; 24 Jun. 2018; Liang Wang leg.; Malaise trap; BIN BOLD: AEG 6821; ZAFU, ZAFUXZ 1081.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	description	Description Male Head (Fig. 2 C) brown. Antenna brown with basal three flagellomeres yellow (Fig. 2 A). Maxillary palpus stramineous. Eye bridge 3 – 4 facets wide (Fig. 2 C). Face with 6 – 8 setae. Clypeus with 8 – 10 setae. Maxillary palpus 3 - segmented; 1 st segment with 8 setae; 2 nd segment with 12 setae; 3 rd segment long, with 14 setae. Fourth antennal flagellomere 3.53 times as long as wide (Fig. 2 B); neck shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Thorax (Fig. 2 A) mostly yellow with few brown patches. Wing (Fig. 2 D) length = 2.46 mm; width / length = 0.37; R 1 / R = 1.63; bM nearly as long as r-m; Sc reaching the level of Rs; R 1 long, joining C beyond the base of the M-fork; stM slightly shorter than M-fork; membrane with macrotrichia at apical two thirds; anterior and posterior veins dark brown; stM faded; bM with 2 setae; r-m with 6 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal vein faded. Legs yellow (Fig. 2 A); fore tibial organ with a dark patch of irregularly arranged setae; fore tibial spur slightly longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.25. Hypopygium (Fig. 2 E) brown; gonocoxite nearly as long as gonostylus; outer margin with sparse setosity; ventral mesial margin bare; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus somewhat slender (Fig. 2 E – F); slightly wider at base; with mesial side impressed at the apical two third; outer margin with very few setae; mesial margin with a throughout row of minute fine hairs; apex slightly curving inward, with short dark bristles, and with three subapical, nearly straight, spines on dorsal lobe. Tegmen (Fig. 2 D) membranous, nearly as high as wide, with slightly convex lateral margins and broadly round apex. Aedeagus dark brown, with a Y-shaped fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Xizang) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2057A000057FB02FD41FA61.taxon	discussion	Remarks Genetically, DNA barcodes from specimens of Falakia bicolor gen. et sp. nov. are minimum 4.01 % divergent from specimens of the nearest neighbour F. craniata gen. et sp. nov. Morphologically, both species look similar with few minute differences: the subapical spines on the dorsal lobe in F. bicolor are not parallel as in F. craniata. Also, the wing bM is nearly as long as r-m in F. bicolor whereas bM is slightly longer than r-m in F. craniata. Moreover, the shape of tegmen also separates this species from F. craniata. Both species belong to a complex of colourful Oriental species. There are two more BINs from Thailand in the same range of 3.5 – 4 % K 2 P-divergence. One of them, BOLD: AEY 0464, is as well reported from Pakistan. The second, BOLD: ADI 8695, also occurs in China, but the record is private, so the species is not considered in this study.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 45 D 714 EE-B 4 B 1 - 4674 - A 7 D 1 - 0 A 9 D 1 F 6 A 67 F 0 Fig. 3	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Thorax mostly yellow with three dorsal brown markings resembling a human skull. Wing membrane with macrotrichia at apical three quarters. Gonostylus with three nearly straight subapical spines on the dorsal most lobe. Tegmen quadrangular, with flat apex.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	etymology	Etymology The species epithet ‘ craniata ’ is derived from the Latin word ‘ cranis ’ meaning ‘ skull’, referring to the thorax marked with dark patches resembling a skull shape.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Sichuan Province • ♂; Hongya county, Mt Wawu; 29 ° 40 ′ 0 ″ N, 102 ° 58 ′ 0 ″ E; elev. 1650 m; 27 Jun. 2019; Tao Li leg.; Malaise trap; BIN BOLD: AEG 3603; ZAFU, ZAFUSC 195. Paratypes CHINA – Sichuan Province • 2 ♂♂; same data as for holotype; ZAFU, ZAFUSC 292, ZAFUSC 312 [currently not found].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	description	Description Male Head brown. Antenna brown with basal three flagellomeres yellow. Maxillary palpus pale or yellow. Fourth antennal flagellomere 3.66 times as long as wide (Fig. 3 D); neck shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Thorax mostly yellow with three dorsal brown markings resembling a skull. Wing (Fig. 3 F) length ~ 2.46 mm; R 1 / R = 1.67; bM 1.26 times as long as r-m; Sc reaching the level of Rs; R 1 long, joining C beyond the base of the M-fork; stM slightly shorter than M-fork; with macrotrichia at apical three quarters; anterior and posterior veins dark brown; stM weakly visible; bM with 2 setae; r-m with 6 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal vein faded. Legs yellow; fore tibial organ with a horseshoe-shaped patch of dark hairs (Fig. 3 E); fore tibial spur much longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.57. Hypopygium (Fig. 3 A – C) brown to yellowish brown; gonocoxite nearly as long as gonostylus; outer margin with sparse setosity; ventral mesial margin completely bare; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus somewhat slender (Fig. 3 A – C); slightly wider at base; with mesial side impressed at the apical two third; outer margin with very few setae; mesial margin with a throughout row of minute fine hairs; trilobed apex slightly curving inward, with short dark bristles, with three nearly straight subapical spines on the dorsal most lobe. Tegmen (Fig. 3 A) membranous; slightly wider than high; quadrangular, with straight apex. Aedeagus long, with a Y-shaped fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Sichuan) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20B7A02006FFA13FC8EFA06.taxon	discussion	Remarks See remarks section under Falakia bicolor gen. et sp. nov.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2097A05034EFA31FC9BFE7B.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Gonostylus elongate, with seven spines on dorsal subapical lobe.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2097A05034EFA31FC9BFE7B.taxon	description	Description For detailed description see Mohrig et al. (1982): 172.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2097A05034EFA31FC9BFE7B.taxon	distribution	Distribution Far East Russia [Palaearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2097A05034EFA31FC9BFE7B.taxon	discussion	Remarks This species was erroneously synonymized with Sciara nursei Freeman, 1983 (Menzel et al. 1990) and corrected by Menzel et al. (2006) reinstating Sciara nursei with Sciara ulrichi Menzel & Mohrig, 2006 as synonym. We did not study the type material of this Eastern Palearctic species, but from the original description and figures it clearly belongs to Falakia gen. nov., sharing all important characters. Also, it is a colourful species like most other members of the genus.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 0 D 18 A 08 E-B 692 - 451 A-B 753 - BE 70 D 37766 C 3 Fig. 4	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Gonostylus slender / digitate, with three straight subapical spines separately arranged on the dorsal lobe.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	etymology	Etymology The eponymic name for the genus ‘ Falak’ is of Arabic origin and means ‘ sky’, ‘ heaven’, or ‘ cosmos’. It is commonly symbolizing vastness and divinity. Therefore, the species epithet ‘ galactica ’ of the type species of the genus is a counterpart, referring to the whole galaxy.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Zhejiang Province • ♂; Huzhou city, Chang Xing; 31 ° 1 ′ 21 ″ N, 119 ° 55 ′ 4 ″ E; 18 May 2016; Shi Kai leg.; Malaise trap; BIN BOLD: ADJ 8571; ZFMK, ZFMK-TIS- 2599026. Paratype CHINA – Zhejiang Province • 1 ♀; Huzhou city, Yang Wan Cun; 30 ° 57 ′ 10 ″ N, 119 ° 42 ′ 13 ″ E; 10 Jul. 2016; Shi Kai leg.; Malaise trap; ZAFU, ZFMK-TIS- 2602324.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	description	Description Male Head (Fig. 4 A) light brown. Antenna yellowish brown with basal three flagellomeres yellow. Maxillary palpus stramineous. Eye bridge 3 – 4 facets wide. Face and clypeus with few setae. Maxillary palpus three segmented, with numerous setae on each segment; 3 rd segment long. Fourth antennal flagellomere 2.85 times as long as wide (Fig. 4 B); neck much shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Thorax mostly yellow with few brown patches. Postpronotum with 3 bristles. Wing (Fig. 4 C) length = 2.90 mm; width / length = 0.41; R 1 / R = 1.79; c / w = 0.82; bM 1.3 times as long as r-m; Sc reaching the level of Rs; R 1 long, joining C beyond the base of the M-fork; stM 1.25 times as short as M-fork; membrane mostly covered with macrotrichia; anterior and posterior veins dark brown; stM weakly visible; bM with 2 setae; r-m with 6 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with sparse macrotrichia; anal vein faded. Legs yellow; fore tibial organ with a patch of dark hairs (Fig. 4 D); fore tibial spur longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.41. Hypopygium (Fig. 4 E) brown; gonocoxite much broader, longer than gonostylus; outer margin with normal setosity; ventral mesial margin mostly bare; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus slender / digitate (Fig. 4 E – F), with slightly concave mesial margin at the apical half; outer margin with very few setae; mesial margin with a throughout row of minute fine hairs; apex slightly curving inward with short fine bristles; three straight subapical spines separately arranged on the dorsal lobe. Tegmen (Fig. 4 E) membranous, wider than high. Aedeagus dark brown, with a long, Y-shaped fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Zhejiang) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20E7A040063FDFDFA91F87C.taxon	discussion	Remarks Morphologically, this species resembles Falakia bicolor gen. et sp. nov. and related species by the colourful habitus and the general structure of the gonostylus with three dorsal subapical spines. It can be distinguished from them in the more slender and straighter shape of the gonostylus, arrangement of the spines on a dorsal lobe, and the shape of the tegmen. Genetically, DNA barcodes from specimens of this species are minimum 5.15 % divergent from specimens of the not studied Chinese BIN, BOLD: ACD 6711.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	description	Fig. 5	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Wing membrane with macrotrichia at the apical half. Gonostylus with curved outer and depressed mesial margins, with 5 – 6 large spines on dorsal lobe of the gonostylus. BIN BOLD: AGN 9700.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined CHINA – Shaanxi Province • 1 ♂; Yan’an, Ziwuling; 35 ° 53 ′ 17 ″ N, 108 ° 39 ′ 35 ″ E; elev. 1275 m; 10 Aug. 2019; Tao Li leg.; ZAFU, SXMH- 560 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 9 Oct. 2019; ZAFU, SXMH- 583 • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 10 Oct. 2019; ZAFU, SXMH- 212, SXMH- 958 • 6 ♂♂; Haopingsi Nature Reserve Station; 34 ° 5 ′ 17 ″ N, 107 ° 42 ′ 40 ″ E; 8 Jun. 2012; Zhaofu Yang leg.; ZAFU, BIOUG 14065 - G 10, BIOUG 14117 - A 02, BIOUG 14117 - B 12, BIOUG 14117 - C 09, BIOUG 14118 - B 06, BIOUG 14118 - H 03 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 22 Jun. 2012; ZAFU, BIOUG 14138 - G 03 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 13 Jul. 2012; ZAFU, BIOUG 14462 - G 03 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 3 Aug. 2012; ZAFU, BIOUG 14239 - H 01. – Zhejiang Province • 1 ♂; Anji, Longwangshan Nature Reserve; 30 ° 13 ′ 55 ″ N, 119 ° 14 ′ 38 ″ E; 16 Jul. 2018; Caixia Liu leg.; Malaise trap; ZAFU, LW-XG 406 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 15 Jul. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 149 • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 16. Jul. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 332, LW-XG 402 • 3 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 17 Jul. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 379, LW-QMT 161, LW-QMT 183 • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 15 Aug. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 695, LW-XG 696 • 3 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 16 Aug. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 710, LW-XG 795, LW-XG 925 • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 15 Sep. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 568, LW-XG 575 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 17 Oct. 2018; ZAFU, LW-QMT 327 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 18 Nov. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 500 • 1 ♂; Lin’an, Mt Tianmu; 30 ° 12 ′ 6 ″ N, 119 ° 15 ′ 19 ″ E; elev. 952 m; 29 Aug. 2018; Zuluan Chen leg.; ZAFU, TMM- 903.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	description	Redescription Male Head (Fig. 5 C) brown. Antenna mostly brown with apical 3 – 4 flagellomeres yellowish brown. Maxillary palpus pale. Eye bridge 3 – 5 facets wide (Fig. 5 C). Face and clypeus with few setae. Maxillary palpus 3 segmented; basal segment with 5 – 6 setae; 2 nd segment with 8 – 10 setae; 3 rd segment long with 10 – 14 setae. Fourth antennal flagellomere 3.15 times as long as wide (Fig. 5 F); neck shorter than broad with bottleneck-like; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Thorax mostly dark, with few yellow spots. Wing (Fig. 5 H) length = 2.62 mm; width / length = 0.38; R 1 / R = 1.66; c / w = 0.80; bM 1.2 times as long as r-m; Sc reaching the level of Rs; R 1 joining C just before the base of the M-fork; stM slightly shorter than M-fork; membrane with macrotrichia at the apical half; anterior veins dark brown; posterior veins light brown; stM weakly visible; bM and r-m non-setose; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal vein faded; anal lobe with few sparse macrosetae. Legs pale or yellow; fore tibial organ (Fig. 5 G) with 2 – 3 rows of dark hairs; fore tibial spur longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.36. Hypopygium (Fig. 5 D – E) brown to dark brown and hairy; gonocoxite somewhat U-shaped, nearly as long as gonostylus; outer margin with normal setosity; ventral mesial margin with a row of short hairs at apical region; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus (Fig. 5 D – E) stout; broad at base, slightly attenuated at apex; with the mesial side impressed at the apical two third; outer and mesial margins with continuous long setae; apex round, slightly curving inward, with short bristles; with 1 anterior, 4 – 5 mesial, nearly straight, spines on dorsal lobe (Fig. 5 E). Tegmen (Fig. 5 D) bell-shaped; slightly higher than wide; with somewhat convex lateral margins and rounded apex. Aedeagus dark brown, with a Y-shaped fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	distribution	Distribution China [Oriental, Palaearctic], Europe and Far East Russia [Palaearctic], Canada and United States [Nearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE20C7A190394FEF0FDAAFAAC.taxon	discussion	Remarks The oldest available species epithet “ modesta ” is hereby reinstated, because it is no longer combined with Sciara and thus the secondary homonymy is suspended. This species was erroneously synonymized with Sciara lackschewitzi (Lengersdorf, 1934) by Menzel & Mohrig (2000) under the name Sciara mendax Tuomikoski on page 524 and listed again under the unavailable combination Sciara modesta (Winnertz, 1867) on the next page. The authors placed it in the Sciara hemerobioides group. Falakia modesta gen. et comb. nov. is easily distinguished by the unique structure of the gonostylus with curved outer and depressed mesial margins, with 5 – 6 large spines on dorsal lobe of the gonostylus. Most species of the genus have a colourful thorax except for F. modesta and also F. obscura gen. et sp. nov. Falakia modesta is genetically divergent with four different BINs from the Palearctic, Oriental and Nearctic Regions (BOLD: AGN 9699, AGN 9700, AGN 9701 and AAM 9253). We are synonymizing the Chinese Trichosia longisetosa Yang, Zhang & Yang, 1998 with this species, even though the holotype is lost, because the original description including the figure matches well with F. modesta. The type locality is also the same as for our material form Zhejiang.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 6 E 5 A 6 E 39 - B 836 - 4025 - 827 C- 7 DCC 92 DA 57 F 0 Fig. 6	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Gonostylus somewhat oval, dorsal lobe with short, scattered spines (1 anterior, 3 – 5 mesial, 1 posterior).	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	etymology	Etymology The Latin adjective ‘ obscurus ’ means ‘ dark’ and refers to the dark coloration of the body.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Sichuan Province • ♂; Ludingxian, Deweizhen, Kaishucun; 29 ° 41 ′ 34 ″ N, 102 ° 12 ′ 47 ″ E; 15 Jul. 2020; Lihua Jiang leg.; BIN BOLD: AEJ 9230; ZAFU, ZAFUSC 867.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	description	Description Male Head (Fig. 6 B) dark brown. Antenna dark brown with basal three flagellomeres paler brown. Maxillary palpus pale. Eye bridge 3 – 4 facets wide. Face and clypeus with few setae. Maxillary palpus three segmented; basal segment with very few setae; 2 nd segment with 12 setae; 3 rd segment long with 14 setae. Fourth antennal flagellomere 3.10 times as long as wide (Fig. 6 C); neck shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Thorax (Fig. 6 A) mostly dark brown. Wing (Fig. 6 E) length = 2.43 mm; width / length = 0.36; R 1 / R = 1.49; c / w = 0.73; Sc reaching the level of Rs; bM 1.78 times as long as r-m; R 1 long, joining C just after the base of the M-fork; stM 0.76 times as short as M-fork; membrane mostly covered with macrotrichia; anterior and posterior veins dark brown. stM weakly visible; bM with 4 setae; r-m with 6 – 7 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal vein faded. Legs yellowish brown (Fig. 6 A); fore tibial organ with a patch of dark hairs; fore tibial spur (Fig. 6 D) slightly longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.40. Hypopygium (Fig. 6 D) dark brown; gonocoxite somewhat quadrangular, longer than gonostylus; outer margin with sparse setosity; ventral mesial margin with a row of minute hairs near the apical region, few long setae at the basal region; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus somewhat oval (Fig. 6 F – G); slightly wider at base; apex attenuated, broadly round with numerous short setae; outer margin with very few setae; mesial margin with minute fine hairs; dorsal lobe with short, scattered spines (1 anterior, 3 – 5 mesial, 1 posterior) (Fig. 6 G). Tegmen (Fig. 6 F) membranous; much higher than wide; with slightly concave lateral margins and broadly round apex. Aedeagus sclerotised, with a fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Sichuan) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2127A1B006DFAC8FC55FBD9.taxon	discussion	Remarks Morphologically, this species is similar to Falakia xizangensis gen. et sp. nov. in the general structure of gonostylus and in the shape of tegmen. However, the dorsal subapical spines are comparatively shorter and more scattered. Also, the body colour is distinctly darker. Genetically, DNA barcodes from specimens of this species are minimum 2.85 % divergent from specimens of the nearest neighbour F. varia gen. et sp. nov. All three species constitute a subgroup of the genus by the arrangement of the gonostylar spines in three groups, one anterior, one posterior and three to five mesial, and also by the presence of long setae at the basal region of the ventromesial margin of the gonocoxite.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 2 C 5 D 8 BED-C 6 BA- 4 A 5 A-BE 35 - D 0 E 2243 C 6668 Fig. 7	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Gonostylus is somewhat oblong, dorsal lobe with short, unified 3 – 5 spines. Tegmen slightly higher than wide, with coarse apex.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	etymology	Etymology The subspecies epithet ‘ varia ’ is a Latin word meaning ‘ different’ or ‘ colourful’, alluding to the colourful appearance of the habitus.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Zhejiang Province • ♂; Anji, Longwangshan Nature Reserve; 30 ° 13 ′ 55 ″ N, 119 ° 14 ′ 38 ″ E; elev. 989 m; 18 Nov. 2018; Caixia Liu leg.; Malaise trap; BIN BOLD: AEB 8462; ZAFU, LW-XG 446. Paratypes CHINA – Sichuan Province • 2 ♂♂; Emeishan, Lingjuesi; 29 ° 33 ′ 0 ″ N, 103 ° 19 ′ 0 ″ E; elev. 2390 m; 25 Jul. 2019; Tao Li leg.; ZAFU, ZAFUSC 777, ZAFUSC 778. – Zhejiang Province • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 16 Oct. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 519, LW-XG 520 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 17 Oct. 2018; ZAFU, LW-QMT 399 • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 18 Nov. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 442, LW-XG 480, LW-XG 794, LW-XG 799 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 19 Nov. 2018; ZAFU, LW-QMT 359, LW-QMT 366 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Nov. 2018; ZAFU, LW-XG 733 • 1 ♂; Lin’an, Mt Tianmu; 30 ° 13 ′ 52 ″ N, 119 ° 15 ′ 50 ″ E; elev. 748 m; 29 Jul. 2018; Zuluan Chen leg.; ZAFU, TMM- 162 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 29 Aug. 2018; ZAFU, TMM- 275.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	description	Description Male Head (Fig. 7 A) and antenna yellowish brown. Maxillary palpus pale. Eye bridge 3 – 4 facets wide. Face and clypeus with few setae. Maxillary palpus three segmented, 1 st segment with 8 – 9 setae; 2 nd segment with 12 – 14 setae; 3 rd segment long with 14 – 15 setae. Fourth antennal flagellomere 3.43 times as long as wide (Fig. 7 C); neck shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Wing (Fig. 7 B) length = 2.68 mm; width / length = 0.38; R 1 / R = 1.82; c / w = 0.75; Sc fainted, reaching the level of Rs; r-m 1.15 times as long as bM; R 1 long, joining C beyond the base of M-fork; stM 1.04 times as long as M-fork; membrane mostly covered with macrotrichia; anterior and posterior veins prominent; stM weakly visible; bM with 0 – 1 seta; r-m with 8 – 9 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal veins faded. Legs yellowish brown; fore tibial organ (Fig. 7 D) with a patch of dark hairs; fore tibial spur longer than tibial width; length of spur / width of foretibia = 1.33. Hypopygium (Fig. 7 E) somewhat yellowish brown; gonocoxite much longer than gonostylus; outer margin with normal setosity; ventral mesial margin with sparse setae; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus somewhat oblong (Fig. 7 E – F); slightly wider at base; apex attenuated, broadly round with numerous short hairs; outer margin with very few long setae; mesial margin with minute fine hairs; dorsal lobe with short, unified 3 – 5 spines (Fig. 7 F). Tegmen (Fig. 7 E) membranous; slightly higher than wide, with coarse apex. Aedeagal rod long.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Sichuan, Zhejiang) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2107A1D005AFB5BFC8AFB92.taxon	discussion	Remarks This species is morphologically similar to Falakia obscura gen. et sp. nov. and F. xizangensis gen. et sp. nov., but can be differentiated from both by the closely aligned central group of spines on a dorsal lobe, the tegmen with not so smooth apex, the wing with bM almost as long as r-m and relatively longer fourth antennal flagellomere. DNA barcodes from specimens of this species have a minimum genetic distance of 2.85 % to that from the specimen of F. obscura.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 21 A 063 FE-E 910 - 481 F-B 224 - D 9855 BBF 1 E 3 A Fig. 8	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Gonostylus somewhat oval, dorsal lobe with 3 – 5, relatively long, spines. Tegmen membranous, much higher than wide, with broadly round apex.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	etymology	Etymology The species epithet ‘ xizangensis ’ refers to the Xizang autonomous region in China, from where the type specimen is collected.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype CHINA – Xizang Autonomous Region • ♂; Motuo; 29 ° 19 ′ 52 ″ N, 95 ° 20 ′ 23 ″ E; elev. 980 m; 23 Jun. 2018; Liang Wang leg.; Malaise trap; BIN BOLD: AEG 1937; ZAFU, ZAFUXZ 978.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	description	Description Male Head and antenna brown to yellowish brown. Maxillary palpus pale. Fourth antennal flagellomere relatively short, 3 times as long as wide (Fig. 8 C); neck shorter than broad; longest setae shorter than width of flagellomere. Wing (Fig. 8 D) length = 2.19 mm; width / length = 0.41; R 1 / R = 1.77; c / w = 0.73; Sc fainted, reaching the level of Rs; bM 1.67 times as long as r-m; R 1 long, joining C just after the base of M-fork; stM 0.79 times as short as M-fork; membrane mostly covered with macrotrichia with apical half denser; anterior and posterior veins prominent; stM weakly visible; bM with 6 setae; r-m with 6 setae; R, R 1, and R 4 + 5 setose; M 1, M 2, CuA 1, and CuA 2 with macrotrichia; anal vein faded. Hypopygium (Fig. 8 AB) brown; gonocoxite slightly longer than gonostylus; outer margin with no setae; ventral mesial margin with few short marginal hairs near the apical and subapical region, few long setae near the base; apex of the gonocoxite with a long, differentiated seta. Gonostylus somewhat oval (Fig. 8 A – B); slightly wider at base; attenuated apically with numerous short setae; outer margin with very long setae near the middle; mesial margin with minute fine hairs; dorsal lobe with 3 – 5, relatively long spines (Fig. 8 B). Tegmen (Fig. 8 A – B) membranous; much higher than wide, with broadly round apex. Aedeagus long, with a fork.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	distribution	Distribution China (Xizang) [Oriental, Palearctic].	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
03D4E64CE2167A1C0073FBA5FBE2F817.taxon	discussion	Remarks See under the remark’s sections of Falakia obscura gen. et sp. nov. and F. varia gen. et sp. nov. for morphological differences. Genetically, DNA barcodes from specimens of Falakia xizangensis gen. et sp. nov. are minimum 4.07 % divergent from specimens of both of these.	en	Shah, Bismillah, Heller, Kai, Huang, Junhao (2026): New insights into Chinese fungus gnats: description and molecular identification of Falakia gen. nov. (Diptera: Sciaridae) with six new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 1034: 201-225, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1034.3167, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/3167/14087
