Hyperlasion wasmanni Schmitz, 1918

Mohrig, Werner, Kauschke, Ellen & Broadley, Adam, 2019, Revision of black fungus gnat species (Diptera, Sciaridae) described from the Hawaiian Islands by D. E. Hardy and W. A. Steffan, and a contribution to the knowledge of the sciarid fauna of the Galápagos Islands, Zootaxa 4590 (4), pp. 401-439 : 421

Hyperlasion wasmanni Schmitz, 1918

( Fig. 14 A – C )

Hyperlasion wasmanni Schmitz, 1918 [ Schmitz (1918): 96 –99, fig. 1].

= Scythropochroa magnisensoria Hardy, 1956 syn. n.

Scythropochroa magnisensoria Hardy, 1956 [ Hardy (1956): 89 –90, fig. 12 a – d]

Material studied: Holotype : Male, 7.ii.1953, Hawai‘i, O‘ahu, Kuliouou Valley , 457 m, leg. C. P. Hoyt (BPBM, No. 2485). Paratypes: 1 male, ii.1953, O‘ahu, Maunawili, leg D.E. Hardy; 1 female, Pu‘u Ali‘i , Moloka‘i, vii.1953, 1 male/ 1 female, 17.i.1953, O‘ahu, Opae‘ula [as “Opacula”], leg. C.P. Hoyt ; 3 males, 2.vi.1953, Lāna‘ihale Lāna‘i [as “Lana”], 3200 ft., leg. D.E. Hardy ; 1 female, 18.ii.1920, O‘ahu, Lanihuli , leg. E.H. Bryan Jr. ; 1 male, vii.1953, Kahuku Ranch , 3000 ft. (leg. D.E. Hardy) ; 1 male, 17.i.1953, O‘ahu, Pu‘u Pe‘ahinai‘a [as “Peahina”], leg. C.P. Hoyt ; 1 male, iv.1953, Maui , Pu‘u Kukui, leg. M. Tamashiro ; 1 male, 4.x.1929, Upper Hamakua , Ditch Trail, on Lula Palm, leg. R.R. Whitten ( PWMP). Other material : 2 males, 10.ii.1953, O‘ahu, Maunawili , on tree trunk, leg. D.E. Hardy.

Conservation status. Embedded in Canada balsam. Head, palpus and antennae, wings and hypopygium isolated, wings under a separate cover slip. All morphological structures rather well preserved.

Comments. Hyperlasion wasmanni is characterized by a 1-segmented palpus that is large and swollen, with a large sensory pit of variable shape at the front and a robust curved bristle on the upper border of the pit; rather long antennae; 4 th flagellomere with a l/w index of 2.0, with hairs longer than the basal node; indifferent bristles at the apex of the fore tibia, rather short gonocoxites, with short hairs at the base and the inner ventral margin; gonostylus nearly as long as the gonocoxites, apically rounded, without an apical tooth, with 5–7 short and fine hyaline spines in the distal half.

Menzel et al. (2013) discussed the differences between H. viridiventris ( Frey, 1945) , H. wasmanni Schmitz (1918) and H. aliens Mohrig (2004) . The main characters of H. viridiventris (Frey) are the swollen 1-segmented palpus with a large sensory pit in front and a long and robust curved bristle on the upper margin, rather long flagellomeres and an elongate gonostylus without an apical tooth, but with few (5–7) fine hyaline spines (poorly visible even with a good microscope). The morphological differences with the European specimens of Hyperlasion wasmanni Schmitz are minimal. We think that viridiventris (Frey) and wasmanni Schmitz are conspecific. In this sense we agree with Hardy (1960): 232 that Tuomikoski also found (in correspondence) that the two species are conspecific. The species is common in open landscapes, and is perhaps connected with ants. The females are often monogenic and in a given period only females are found or a minimal percentage of a population are males.

Distribution. Hawai‘i. Widespread and common in Europe.

Figures

FIGURE 14 A–C. Hyperlasion wasmanni Schmitz, 1918. Holotype of Scythropochroa magnisensoria Hardy. A. Hypopygium; B. Basal segments of antenna; C. Palpus.