The Bezzi Diptera collection at the Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano: a list of the named genera and species, with their present status

Abstract

Mario Bezzi’s collection of Diptera is probably the most important dedicated to this order of insects preserved in Italy and, in a scientific-historical view, one of the most important in the world. The aim of this work is to provide a complete list of the genera and species originally used by Bezzi and readable on the collection labels handwritten by Bezzi himself. A brief description of the collection and the methods used to acquire and check the names is given. The results obtained are discussed. Finally, a complete checklist of the taxonomic names found, and their current status is provided.

Keywords

• Biodiversity
• Italian entomological collections
• historical collectors
• museums
• taxonomy