Egle subarcticoides, Michelsen, 2009

Michelsen, Verner, 2009, Revision of the willow catkin flies, genus Egle Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), in Europe and neighbouring areas, Zootaxa 2043 (1), pp. 1-76 : 49

17. Egle subarcticoides sp. nov.

Figs. 138–143 , 193 .

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘subarcticoides’ is derived from subarctica, existing epithet for a closely related, Holarctic species, and ‘-oides’, a Greek adjectival suffix meaning resembling.

Description. As for E. subarctica except: Extremely small, wing length 2.3–2.8mm.

Male. Subgena polished black, without usual dusting. Parafacial in middle nearly as wide as postpedicel. Genal setae standing in single row. Prealar seta shorter, only half to two-thirds as long as posterior notopleural seta. Submedian tibial setae fewer: fore tibia without pd–pv-setae; mid tibia with 0 ad-, 1 pd- and 0 p-setae; hind tibia with 1–4 short av-setae, without distinct p–pv-setae. Sternite V ( Figs. 138, 139 ) differs in having a series of fewer and much longer setulae along less upraised inner margins of posterior lobes. Terminalia ( Figs. 140–143 ): surstyli and apical extension of cerci decidedly more slender.

Female. Subgena polished black, without usual dusting. Parafacial in middle nearly as wide as postpedicel. Prealar shorter, about half length of posterior notopleural seta. Submedian tibial setae fewer: fore tibia with 0 pd–pv-setae; mid tibia with 1 short ad- and 1 pd-setae; hind tibia with 1–2 short av-setae. Oviscapt ( Fig. 193 ) as in E. subarctica .

Material examined. Type material [ NMNHT, ZMUC]. ISRAEL: Montfort , 32 males, 13 females 2.iii.1987 (A. Freidberg, I. Yarom); Ein Gedi, 2 males (including holotype in NMNHT), 5 females 24.ii.1983 (A. Freidberg) .

Biology. Only two species of Salix grow naturally in Israel according to Rottenberg et al. (1999), viz. the Euro-Siberian White willow ( S. alba L.) and the Irano-Turanian S. acmophylla Boiss. The former species has a rather continuous distribution in the Upper Jordan Valley of northern Israel, while S. acmophylla has small, fragmented occurrences along streams in more southern parts of the country. Spontaneous hybridization occurs regularly between these two closely related willows. Both species are presumably suitable as host plants for E. subarcticoides in Israel.

Distribution. Known so far from two localities in Israel: Western Galilee and Judean Desert (oasis on the west coast of the Dead Sea).

Relationships. Closely related to the widespread, northern Holarctic E. subarctica (Huckett) . For further details, see above under ‘The Egle subarctica species group’.

Figures

FIGURES 138–143. Egle subarcticoides, male terminalia [paratype: Israel]. 138, 139. Sternite V, ventral and lateral views. 140, 141. Hypopygium, caudal and lateral views. 142. Pre- and postgonites, lateral view. 143. Phallus, lateral view. Same scale.

FIGURES 191–193. Egle spp., female terminalia. 191. E. subarctica, oviscapt, flat mounted. 192. Same, spermathecae. 193. E. subarcticoides, oviscapt, flat mounted [paratype: Israel]. Different scales.