Spelobia manicata (Richards, 1927)

Roháček, Jindřich, 2012, Wing polymorphism in European species of Sphaeroceridae (Diptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52 (2), pp. 535-558 : 540

3. Spelobia manicata (Richards, 1927)

( Figs. 15–17 )

Material examined. 250 specimens (153JJ 97♀♀ with 91 JJ 53♀♀ slightly brachypterous to submacropterous, rest macropterous) from Great Britain (England), Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia – localities listed by ROHÁČEK (1980, 1983, 1984, 1995, 1999, 2009a, 2011), ROHÁČEK & BARTÁK (1999, 2001) and ROHÁČEK et al. (2005).Additional localities: CZECH REPUBLIC: MORAVIA: Karlova Pláň – Volárenský potok; Hradec nad Moravicí; Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts. – Tanečnica Mt. (J. Roháček leg.). SLOVAKIA: Vysoké Tatry Mts. – Štrbské pleso, Vysoké Tatry Mts. – Velické pleso, Vysoké Tatry Mts. – Velická dolina valley (J. Roháček leg.).

This species is another example of a weak alary polymorphism. It is considered relatively young (ROHÁČEK 1983), only recently derived from the macropterous ancestor as it is very similar to Spelobia clunipes (Meigen, 1830) . It should be noted that its macropterous form ( Fig. 15 ) has somewhat on the average shorter wings than S. clunipes . Wings of brachypterous specimens are distinctly smaller, shortened, darkened, often with rounded outer corners of dm cell ( Figs. 16, 17 ). Spelobia manicata is predominantly a microcavernicolous species living in burrows and runs of small mammals but also in leaf-litter, moss, etc. (ROHÁČEK 1983).

Figures

Figs.15–17. Spelobia manicata (Richards, 1927), male wings. 15 – macropterous (Czech Republic:Třešť); 16 – submacropterous (Czech Republic: Hrubý Jeseník Mts. – Kouty nad Desnou); 17 – brachypterous (Czech Republic: Třešť – Pouště). Scale: 0.5 mm. Photo by J. Roháček.