Winnertzia feralis Mamaev

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2020, Reevaluation of species richness in Winnertzia (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Winnertziinae), with descriptions of 37 new species from Sweden, Peru and Australia, Zootaxa 4829 (1), pp. 1-72 : 56

Winnertzia feralis Mamaev

Figs 100–102

Winnertzia feralis is released here from synonymy with W. tridens (see Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: 104) and rehabilitated as a valid species. Morphological characters to distinguish this species from its closest relatives – W. tridens , W. longicoxa , and W. parvihamata – are explained in the diagnosis given below. Also, our study revealed the occurrence of two other Winnertzia in Sweden whose male morphology resembles that of W. feralis ; both are apparently unnamed and referred to here as “ tridens D ” and “ tridens E ”. Species D is distinguished from W. feralis by slightly smaller body size, fewer pronotal setae, vestigial empodia, the gonostylar claw occupying the full width of the gonostylar apex, and the anchor-shaped structure at the apex of the aedeagal apodeme being more tenuous. The main reason why we refrain from validating our “ tridens D ” through a formal taxonomic description is that our specimens show some variation in the outline of the gonostylar apex, which might indicate that a further species is involved here. Our “ tridens E ”, which is the same species that Spungis (1992: fig. 50) depicted from Latvia, shares with W. feralis the claw-long empodia. Males typical of species E are larger, the flagellomeres have longer necks, the genitalia are more massive, the gonocoxal emargination is smaller, and the gonostylar apex is broader, with only two thirds of its width occupied by the pectinate claw. Our uncertainty regarding the status of “ tridens E ” is caused by the observation that those distinctions are less obvious in undersized individuals, which are occasionally found among normal-sized specimens.

Diagnosis. Winnertzia feralis differs from W. tridens , a generally similar species, in the translucent antennal sensilla, which are simply filiform ( Figs 100–101 ) rather than branched and absent on the twelfth flagellomere rather than being present on all flagellomeres; and in the empodia, which are as long as the claws ( Fig. 102 ), not appreciably shorter. Winnertzia hamatula and W. longicoxa , two species of the W. tridens complex described here as new, differ from W. feralis in genitalic characters (see there) and in possessing vestigial empodia.

Distribution in Sweden. All the 109 males of W. feralis we studied come from the southern half of Sweden, the northernmost distribution being Uppland.

Material studied. Specimens of W. feralis listed by Jaschhof & Jaschhof (2013) under the following numbers (as W. tridens ): SE1665, SE1668, SE1671–SE1673, SE1675–SE1690, SE1694, SE1712, SE1783–SE1784, SE1800–SE1802, SE1812–SE1815, SE1817, SE1819–SE1821, SE1823–SE1824, SE1826–SE1827, SE1830, SE1932, SE1834–SE1836, SE1838–SE1846, SE1848, SE1852–SE1856, SE18558, SE1890, and SE1992 (all in NHRS); further specimens as follows. Sweden: 5 males, Skåne, Simrishamn, Stenshuvud NP, mixed broadleaf forest, 26 May–28 June 2010, MT, MCJ (spns CEC 3129– CEC 3133); 1 male, Blekinge, Ronneby, Tromtö nabb, mixed broadleaf forest, 7–21 July 2003, MT, SMTP (trap 23, collection event 433) (spn CEC 3134); 1 male, Öland, Borgholm, Böda, Böda prästgård NR, alder forest, 4 July 2014, sweepnet, MCJ (spn CEC 3153); 1 male, Borgholm, Lindreservat NR, mixed broadleaf forest, 7 May–10 June 2015, MT, MCJ (spn CEC 3144); 8 males, Öland, Mörbylånga, Stora Dalby lund NR, mixed broadleaf forest, 8 June–8 July 2015, MT, MCJ (spns CEC 3135– CEC 3142); 1 male, same data but 9 July–8 August 2015 (spn CEC 3154); 1 male, same data but 9 August–3 October 2015 (spn CEC 3143); 6 males, Mörbylånga, Skogsby lund NR, mixed broadleaf forest, 10 June–14 July 2015, MT, MCJ (spns CEC 3145– CEC 3150); 1 male, Mörbylånga, Gamla Skogsby (Kalkstad), mixed broadleaf forest, 15 July–17 August 2015, MT, MCJ (spn CEC 3151); 1 male, same data but 3 June–4 July 2016 (spn CEC 3152); 1 male, Östergötland, Ödeshög, Omberg, Storpissan NR, old-growth spruce forest, 8 June–26 July 2010, MT, MCJ (spn CEC 3155); 1 male, Södermanland, Huddinge, Sofielund Recycling Center, pine forest near garbage dump, 10–16 August 2004, MT, SMTP (trap 5, collection event 767) (spn CEC 3156); 1 male, Södermanland, Tyresö, Åva, Spirudden, coastal oak forest, 17 June–2 July 2003, MT, SMTP (trap 1, collection event 79) (spn CEC 3157); 2 males, Uppland, Knivsta, Rickebasta, alder swamp forest, 25 June–27 August 2009, MT, MCJ (spns SE1902 and SE1929 ) ; 7 males, Uppland, Håbo, Biskops-Arnö, elm grove, 18 June–4 July 2003, MT, SMTP (trap 8, collection event 389) (spns CEC3160 – CEC3166 ) ; 2 males, same data but 15–28 June 2004 (collection event 1557) (spns CEC3170 – CEC3171 ); 2 males, same data but 28 June–13 July 2004 (collection event 1558) (spns CEC3158 – CEC3159 ); 3 males, same data but 20 June–18 July 2005 (collection event 1602) (spns CEC3167 – CEC3169 ) (all in SDEI). Species D: spns GULI000021622 – GULI000021626 , GULI000021629 – GULI000021630 , GULI000021632 – GULI000021660 , GULI000026463 – GULI000026475 , GULI000026483 – GULI000026489 , GULI000026527 , GULI000026537 , and GULI000026547 (all in NHRS), spns CEC3335 – CEC3358 (all in SDEI). Species E: spns GULI000021556 – GULI000021567 , GULI000021611 – GULI000021620 , GULI000021627 , GULI000021661 – GULI000021663 , GULI000021665 – GULI000021676 , GULI000026481 – GULI000026482 , GULI000026508 , GULI000026512 , and GULI000026519 (all in NHRS), spns CEC3359 – CEC3363 (all in SDEI).

Figures

FIGURES 100–105. Male morphology of Winnertzia feralis (100–102) and Winnertzia tridens (103–105). 100: Fourth flagellomere, lateral, specimen from Uppland. 101: Ditto, medial. 102: Acropod, lateral, specimen from Östergötland. 103: Ditto, specimen from Öland. 104: Fourth flagellomere, lateral. 105: Ditto, medial. Scales for 100–101 and 104–105, 0.05 mm; for 102–103, 0.025 mm.