Desertepidosis borealis Jaschhof, 2013

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2019, New Dicerurini from Europe, mostly Sweden (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae, Porricondylinae), Zootaxa 4559 (2), pp. 245-264 : 247-248

Desertepidosis borealis Jaschhof, 2013

Desertepidosis borealis was originally described on the basis of five males from four different localities in southern Sweden ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: 112ff.). At that time the occurrence of Desertepidosis in Northern Europe came as a surprise―so much that the presence of more than one species in such high latitudes was regarded as highly unlikely. Only later, as more and more borealis -like specimens were found, we gradually realized that more than one species was subsumed under this name. Re-examination of the original material revealed two of the paratypes as misidentifications and actually constituting two new species, described here as D. grytsjoenensis and D. robusta . Some of the distinctions we use here for separating the three species were previously regarded as variations within D. borealis , others we recognize only now based on more specimens available for study. The difficulty of finding fresh material of Desertepidosis has so far prevented us from characterizing our morphospecies by DNA barcodes. Voldemars Spungis informed us (by e-mail of 3 October 2018) that there are several larvae of D. borealis in his collection, which would be available for morphological study. According to our records, the geographic distribution as currently known of D. borealis encompasses the southern parts of Sweden (Skåne, Småland, Öland, Gotland and Uppland), Latvia, and Czech Republic.

Diagnosis. In D. borealis the following characters occur in combination: the eye bridge is 1–2 ommatidia long laterally and 0–1 ommatidium long dorsally; there are invariably 13 flagellomeres; neck and node of the fourth flagellomere are about the same length ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: fig. 48C); the palpus is always 3-segmented, the third segment being variable in length ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: fig. 48D–E); the costal break is situated before the apex of the wing ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: fig. 48G); the claws are toothless; and the empodia are slightly longer than the claws. With respect to genitalic structures, the following details are crucially important for distinguishing D. borealis from its siblings (see Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: fig. 48B, not 48A): the posterior edge of the ninth tergite is straight, the corners somewhat pronounced; the gonostylus, whose basolateral apophysis is extremely small, is nearly cylindrical, but in certain angles may look like slightly bent or slightly broadened subapically; of the gonocoxae, the ventral emargination is bordered continuously (i.e. also medially) by conspicuously large, equally long setae, the ventral bridge is slightly shorter than the emargination, the dorsoposterior portions protrude clearly beyond the ventroposterior edge, and the dorsal apodemes have thin, separate anterior processes; the tegmen is markedly longer than the ventral gonocoxal bridge; and of the ejaculatory apodeme, the apical third is membranous and slightly broadened, and the base is less strongly sclerotized than the rod-like portion and markedly extended.

Material examined. Sweden: holotype male, Skåne, Tomelilla, Drakamöllan, grassy heath, 24–31 May 2005, MT, SMTP (trap 38, collecting event 1443) (spm. NHRS-GULI000026273 ) ; paratype male, same data as the holotype (spm. NHRS-GULI000026274 ) ; 2 males, same data as the holotype (spm. CEC 1530 in SDEI, CEC 1531 in IBUL); paratype male, Skåne, Simrishamn, Stenshuvud NP, mixed beech / hornbeam forest, 28 June–29 July 2010, MT, MCJ (spm. NHRS-GULI000026275 ) ; 1 male, Småland, Nybro, Bäckebo , Grytsjön NR, old-growth aspen forest, 2–12 July 2005, MT, SMTP (trap 1000, collecting event 1323) (spm. CEC 1533 in NHRS) ; 1 male, same locality but 17 June–16 July 2015, MT, MCJ (spm. CEC 1532 in SDEI) ; 1 male, Öland, Mörbylånga, Frösslunda alvar, alvar pasture, 25 June–20 July 2003, MT, SMTP (trap 20, collecting event 233) (spm. CEC 1539 in NHRS) ; 4 males, same data but 28 July–24 August 2004 (trap 20, collecting event 982) (spms CEC1535 – CEC 1538 in NHRS) ; 1 male, Mörbylånga, Ullevi , herb-rich meadow at forest edge, 10 May–1 June 2016, MT, MCJ (spm. CEC 1534 in SDEI) ; 2 males, Gotland, Eksta, Stora Karlsö , 8–29 August 2014, MT , Hymenoptera Inventory Group (spms CEC1540 – CEC 1541 in NHRS); 2 males, Uppland, Uppsala, Ekdalen NR, young herb-rich forest with sparse old oak trees, 27 June–17 July 2005, MT, SMTP (trap 27, collecting event 1703) (spms CEC1542 and CEC 1591 in SDEI) . Latvia: 1 male, Salaspils, Saulkalne, reared from larva collected on 6 January 1980 in soil of mixed forest, V. Spungis ( Institute of Biology , University of Latvia) . Czech Republic: 1 male, Moravia and Silesia, Podyjí NP, Havraníky , meadow, 7–26 June 2001, MT , M. Barták & Š. Kubík ( NMPC); 1 male, Podyjí NP, Liščí skála, 27 May–28 June 2001, MT , M. Barták and Š. Kubík ( NMPC); 1 male, Podyjí NP, Fládnická chata, 2 July–3 August 2004, MT , M. Barták and Š. Kubík ( NMPC) .