Last updated: 22 September 2002


DOLICHOPODIDAE (DIPTERA) NEW TO THE FAUNA OF SWEDEN

IGOR GRICHANOV & ROY DANIELSSON

Igor Grichanov, All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Podbelskogo 3, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, Russia.

Roy Danielsson, Zoological Museum of Lund University, Lund, Sweden

A check list compiled by Grichanov (in litt.) has included about 320 species of Dolichopodidae known in the Swedish fauna. Some species have been recorded for Sweden for the first time. This paper gives detailed distribution data for those species. They have been identified by the 1st author as a result of the treating about seven thousand unsorted dolichopodid species collected mainly during the last 40 years by R. Danielsson and H. Andersson in various provinces of the country. Those species are Chrysotus blepharosceles, C. palustris, C. suavis, Cryptophleps kerteszi, Dolichopus subpennatus, Hercostomus argentifrons, H. blankaartensis, Medetera senicula, Rhaphium gravipes,  Syntormon monilis, Thrypticus intercedens and T. tarsalis. The material is deposited in Lund Zoological Museum. In Sweden adults and larvae of almost all species of long-legged flies are predators inhabiting moist substrata. Small-sized species may be saprophages in the larval stage. Species of only one genus (Thrypticus) are known to be phytophages living inside stems of cereal grasses. Most of the numerous species of the cosmopolitan genus Medetera are associated with tree trunks, especially in boreal forests, where their larvae are predacious mainly on bark-beetles (Coleoptera). Dolichopus and Hercostomus species are common on grass at small puddles and along rivulets in deciduous forests and meadows.

Genus Chrysotus Meigen, 1824

Chrysotus blepharosceles Kowarz, 1874

Material examined. 2??, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Lund, 13.6.1959, 1428, H. Andersson / Chrysotus ? blepharosceles Kw., det. Hedström, 1965 [H. Andersson’s collection]; 3??, 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Kullaberg, 14.VII.1967 & 2.VIII.1969, H. Andersson [MZLU].
Remarks. The species is close to C. gramineus (Fallén, 1823) and C. obscuripes Zetterstedt, 1838, differing in front tibia being rusty yellow, ciliated above and below, with some cilia below being distinctly longer than diameter of tibia; mid tibia is brownish black (d’Assis Fonseca, 1978).
Distribution. The species is widely distributed in Europe, being known from Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Italy and Denmark.

Chrysotus palustris Verrall, 1876

Material examined. 2??, 2??, [Gotland]: Go, Visby, 1.VII.1920, leg. O. Ringdahl; 2??, [Väster-götland]: Vg, Kinneved, 22.VII.1942, leg. O. Ringdahl; 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, ?hus, 29.VI.1915, leg. E. Wahlgren.
Remarks. C. palustris is related to C. albibarbus Loew, 1857, differing in white pollinose frons, and face being narrower, at most as wide as front ocellus. C. albibarbus has metallic frons, whereas face is nearly as wide as ocellar tubercle (Parent, 1938).
Distribution. So far the species was known from Great Britain and Germany only. Lund Museum has also 2 specimens of the species collected by Ringdahl in Norway (V?g?mo, 13.VII.1953).

Chrysotus suavis Loew, 1857

Material examined. 2??, [Sk?ne]: Sk, N of Krankesjön, 1 & 5,VII.1970, leg. H. Andersson; 2??, [Norrbotten]: Nb, Pite?, 4.VII.1947, leg. O. Ringdahl.
Remarks. C. suavis together with C. palustris belongs to a group of species having pale pilosity on front coxae. C. suavis with the eyes being contiguous in lower part of face is closely related to C. romanicus Pârvu, 1995 described from Romania and C. dorli Negrobov, 1980 from Tajikistan, differing in having surstyli widened at base (Pârvu, 1995; Negrobov, 2000).
Distribution. Transpalearctic species spread from Canary and British Islands across Finland and the Caucasus to Mongolia.

Genus Cryptophleps Lichtwardt, 1898

Cryptophleps kerteszi Lichtwardt, 1898

Material examined. 1?, 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Klosters?gen, 8.VII.1981, leg. H. Andersson.
Remarks. The genus is recorded from North Europe for the first time. Only one European species is known (Negrobov, 1991).
Distribution. This is a rare species found in Serbia, Romania, Saratov Region in central Russia and China.

Genus Dolichopus Latreille, 1796

Dolichopus subpennatus d'Assis Fonseca, 1976

Material examined. 42??, [Sk?ne]: Dalby, 11.VI.1988, R. Danielsson; Dalby, O. Mölla, 11.VI.1988, 7.VI.1989, 13.VI.1992, R. Danielsson; ?labodarna, 17.VI.1988, R. Danielsson; Lillöviken, Eupatorium, 3.VII.1954; Haväng, Verke?n, dystrand, 5.VII.1954; Haväng, Verke?n, Phalaris, 5.VII.1954, Richard Dahl; Haväng, 17.VI.1965, Bäck, H. Andersson; Sjöbo, 15.VII.1969, H. Andersson; Färlöv, 6.VII.1923, I. Amitzböll; Ystad, 21.VII.1915, I. Amitzböll; Ystad, VII.1953, Richard Dahl; Vitemölla, 28.VI.1953, dynhed, Ardö; Arlöv, 9.VII.1950, S. Berdén; Linnebjer, 27.VI.1950, Sven Berdén; [Gotland]: Gtl, Tingstäde, 2.VII.1920, O. Ringdahl; Visby, 1.VII.1920, leg. O. Ringdahl; [Sm?land]: Sm, Traryd, Axhult, juli 1952, G. Olsson; [Öland]: Öl, Löt, 26.VI.1932, Kemner; [Dalarna]: Dlr, ?l, Insjön, Bo Tjeder.
Remarks. This is a sister species to D. pennatus Meigen, 1824, differing in central area of swelling on male hind tibia being narrow rather than rounded and occupied by tiny black setulae rather than pale yellow pile; it bears also a sparse fringe of about 10 pale hairs on lower margin of hind face of scutellum, whereas in D. pennatus there is a multiple fringe of numerous pale hairs not confined to lower margin (d’Assis Fonseca, 1978). D. subpennatus described originally from England and mentioned for “Russia”, an obviously overlooked species, appears to be widely distributed in Europe and Sweden in particularly.
Distribution. Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, “Russia”.

Genus Hercostomus Loew, 1857

Hercostomus argentifrons Oldenberg, 1916

Material examined. 1?, [Öland]: Öl, Halltorps Hage RN-1547/6297, 3-6.VIII.1976, leg. Andersson-Danielsson; 1?, [Södermanland]: Sö, Sparreholm, 6.VII.1989, leg. H. Andersson.
Diagnosis. According to Parent (1938) H. argentifrons belongs to the group V of species having black femora and black postocular setae. It has frons and face silvery white; antennal stylus middorsal; palpi and proboscis small; legs almost entirely black; trochanters and knees yellow-red; fore tibia without long apicoventral cilia; mid tibia with 1 anteroventral bristle; halters yellow; epandrium trapezoidal; epandrial lobes moderately developed; cercus black, subtriangular, higher than long.
Distribution. It is very surprising to see in Sweden the species known earlier from Italian Alps only.

Hercostomus blankaartensis Pollet, 1991

Material examined. 10??, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Ilstorp, 3-12.VII [late XIX century], leg. C.D.E. Roth; Sk, Ystad, 4.VI.1913, leg. I. Ammitzböll.
Remarks. H. blankaartensis is close to H. assimilis (Staeger, 1842), differing in cercus ochreous yellow, quadrate; fore coxa mostly yellow, especially on lateral side; femora and tibiae entirely yellow; tarsi only feebly infuscated. Females differ in having hind tibia and basitarsus entirely yellow; fore and mid tarsi only feebly infuscated; fore coxa largely yellow, in particular on lateral side (Pollet, 1991).
Distribution. Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Hungary, the Crimea.

Genus Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819

Medetera senicula Kowarz, 1877

Material examined. 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Stenshuvud, 14.VIII.1977, , leg. H. Andersson; 4??, Sk, Vombsjön, SW hörnet, 18.VI.1975, leg. H. Andersson; 7??, 4??, [Norrbotten]: Nb, R?ne?, Högsön, 1.VII.1972 & 9-11.VII.1975, leg. H. Andersson; 1?, 2??, Nb, W Lule?, 4.VII.1972, leg. H. Andersson.
Remarks. M. senicula belongs to a group of species having lateral scutellar setae reduced or totally lost; it has entirely dusted, monochrome face and close to M. plumbella Meigen, 1824, differing in mostly black legs, and male cercus having a strong spiniform apical seta (Negrobov & Stackelberg, 1972).
Distribution. This is a Boreal European species found in Finland, Denmark, Great Britain, Poland, Estonia and north-western Russia.

Genus Rhaphium Meigen, 1803

Rhaphium gravipes Haliday, 1851

Material examined. 1?, [Jämtland]: Jä, Unders?ker, 22.VI.1932, leg. O. Ringdahl.
Remarks. The species is close to R. consobrinum Zetterstedt, 1843, R. penicillatum Loew, 1850 and R. riparium (Meigen, 1824), differing in long and unforked cercus and somewhat swollen at apex ventrally front basitarsus (d’Assis Fonseca, 1978).
Distribution. The rare species was known from central Europe (including Germany and Great Britain) and Leningrad Region of Russia. Lund Museum has also 11 specimens of the species collected by Ringdahl in Norway.

Genus Syntormon Loew, 1857

Syntormon monilis (Haliday, 1851)

Material examined. 1?, [Östergötland]: Ög, Omberg, Sjövägen/Bamsevägen, 4.VII.1989 (2721), leg. H. Andersson.
Remarks. The species is related to S. tarsatus (Fallén, 1823), differing in ornamentation of mid and hind tarsi and other characters. 4th and 5th segments of mid tarsus are slightly widened, hind tibia is yellow and simple, hind basitarsus has spiniform basoventral process (Negrobov, 1975).
Distribution. This is a widely distributed West Palearctic species inhabiting area from North Africa and the North Caucasus to Denmark and Leningrad Region of Russia.

Genus Thrypticus Gerstaecker, 1864

Thrypticus intercedens Negrobov, 1967

Material examined. 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Mölle, 24.6.1973, leg. H. Andersson; 2??, [Sm?land]: Sm, Bolmen, 16.VII. 1945, leg. O. Ringdahl; 2??, 1?, Sm, Söder?kra, Fulvik, 25.VI.1989, R. Danielsson; 1? [Öland]: Öl, Halltorps Hage, 19-23.VII.1976, leg. Andersson & Danielsson; 1?, [Bohuslän]: Bo, Grinneröd, Grinneredsjön, 4.VII.1945, leg. B. Tjeder.
Remarks. Thrypticus intercedens is very close to T. pollinosus Verrall, 1912 (Negrobov & Stackelberg, 1971), differing in distal thin part of hypandrium being as long as or longer (rather than 1/3 shorter in T. pollinosus) than proximal broad part; the character usually clearly visible in dry specimens.
Distribution. The species was most probably confused earlier with more common T. pollinosus. To date his known localities include Germany, Norway, Yaroslavl Region of Russia, Iran and southern Siberia (Sayan Mountains).

Thrypticus tarsalis Parent, 1932

Material examined. 1?, [Sk?ne]: Sk, Kullaberg, 10.VI.1949, O. Ringdahl; 4??, Sk, Vomb, 26.V.1982, H. Andersson; 1?, Sk, Dalby, Skrylle, 23.V.1989, R. Danielsson; 1?, 1?, Sk, Dalby, Torna Hällestad, 9.VI.1988, R. Danielsson; 1?, 1?, Sk, Dalby, Ö. Mölla, 28.V.1989, R. Danielsson.
Remarks. The species is close to T. bellus Loew, 1869 and T. pruinosus Parent, 1932, differing in narrower surstyli, nearly three times as long as wide (ventral view) and other characters. Palpi are usually shorter, hardly longer than postpedicel; stylus is very slender and tapering to a fine tip; mid tibia entirely brownish (Negrobov & Stackelberg, 1971; d’Assis Fonseca, 1978).
Distribution. The species was known from Great Britain, Norway and north-western Russia.

Acknowledgements

The work was financially supported by the Swedish Institute (2001).

References
D'Assis Fonseca, E.C.M. 1978. Diptera Orthorrhapha Brachycera. V. Dolichopodidae. // Handbooks for the identification of British insects. IX. part 5. P. 1–90.
Grichanov, I.Ya. (in litt.). A check list of Swedish Dolichopodidae (Diptera). – Ent. Tidskr.
Meuffels, H. & Grootaert, P. 1990. The identity of Sciapus contristans (Wiedemann, 1817) Diptera Dolichopodidae and a revision of the species group of its relatives. – Bull. Inst. Roy. Sci. Nat. Belg., Ent. 60: 161-178.
Negrobov, O.P. & Stackelberg, A.A. 1971-1977. Dolichopodidae, Unterfamilie Medeterinae. - In E. Lindner (ed.). Die Fliegen der Palaearktischen Region. Stuttgart, IV, 29, 284 (1971), 289 (1972), 302, 303 (1974), 316 (1977): 238-354.
Negrobov, O.P. Review of the genus Syntormon Meig. (Dolichopodidae, Diptera) of the Palearctic fauna // Entomol. obozrenie. - 1975. – 54(3): 652-664.
Negrobov, O.P. 1991. Dolichopodidae. – In: Soos A., Papp L. & Oosterbroeck P. (Eds.): Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera 7: Dolichopodidae-Platypezidae, Akademiai Kiado: 1-291, Budapest:.
Parent, O. 1938. P. Dipt?res Dolichopodidae // Faune de France. Vol. 35. Paris. P. 1–720.
Pârvu, C., 1995. Some Dolichopodidae (Diptera) from Romania (X) of the genus Chrysotus Meig., with the description of C. romanicus n. sp., Trav. Mus. Hist. nat. "Grigore Antipa", 35: 407-418.
Pollet, M., 1991 [1990]. Phenetic and ecological relationships between species of the subgenus Hercostomus (Gymnopternus) in Western Europe with the description of two new species (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), Syst. Entomol., 1990, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 359--381.


Dolichopodidae Homepage