Tanypus punctipennis Meigen

(Figs. 13–14)

Tanypus punctipennis Meigen, 1818: 61 .

Zavrelimyia inaveua Sasa, Kitami et Suzuki, 2001: 23, Fig. 25 a–j. [Holotype 401(2): 050.] Syn. nov.

Zavrelimyia inaveua is characterized by a large (150 μm long, 100 μm wide), ovoid scutal tubercle (Fig. 13); MCu proximal to FCu (see Sasa et al. 2001, Fig. 25 d); tibial spurs slender, elongate, main tooth 1/3–1/2 spur length, with 2–3 lateral teeth (Fig. 14). These are all characters diagnostic of the genus Tanypus Meigen. The wing membrane of Z. inaveua has 4 dark spots in cell r2+3, identical to those in Tanypus punctipennis Meigen. Z. inaveua is thus regarded as a junior synonym of T. punctipennis .

Tanypus punctipennis is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region (Ashe & Cranston 1990), and also in Japan (Tokunaga 1937; Hashimoto 1985). In earlier records from Japan, almost all Tanypus were identified as T. punctipennis . Recently, the first author has found larvae which are similar to T. chinensis Wang, 1994 . However, there is wide intraspecific morphological variation in the genus, which requires a more detailed study of the Japanese specimens.