New Black Fungus Gnats (Diptera, Sciaridae) of North America Part I. Genus Scatopsciara Edwards, 1927
Author
Mohrig, Werner
Author
Kauschke, Ellen
text
Zootaxa
2016
4150
4
401
435
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4150.4.3
e78916b4-b9a2-4b98-a689-b41f83ccf09b
1175-5326
267128
DB975877-03DF-4067-AE12-D978BB3E0801
Subgenus
Xenopygina
Frey, 1948
Type species:
Bradysia
(
Xenopygina
)
paradoxa
Frey, 1948
: 55
, 78, Fig. 52, plate 9. Literature:
Hippa & Vilkamaa (1991)
: 115, 117;
Menzel & Mohrig (2000)
: 486.
Species of the subgenus
Xenopygina
differ from those of the subgenus
Scatopsciara
s. str.
mainly through the absence of an apical tooth. All other characteristics of the genus
Scatopsciara
are present in the subgenus
Xenopygina
as well. The subgenus is not as homogenous as
Scatopsciara
s. str.
, which is divided into two species groups only. Species of
Xenopygina
are divided here into three species groups,
Scatopsciara paradoxa
group,
Sc. armata
group and
Sc. inesae
group, newly introduced here.
1
.
Sc. paradoxa
group
includes the species
abedabunae
,
adsilae
,
armigera
,
fratercula
,
hastata
,
paradoxa
,
robustior
,
subfratercula
and
vagula
. The species group is characterized by the following characteristics: Body hairiness whitish or pale; tibial organ weakly developed (2–3 bristles on a weak, indistinct comb-like base); middle and hind tibiae with two well developed spurs, nearly equal in length; wings with short c (seldom longer than 1/2 w, often shorter); gonostylus with strong spines on the apex and in the middle of inner side, sometimes on a distinct process.
Sc. fratercula
and
Sc. subfratercula
have one distinct lobe-like process as base of two spines at the inner side, which mediates between two unique species
Sc. hastata
and
Sc. paradoxa
having a long process at inner side.
Species without process at inner side but with one or two bristles on the basal segment of the palpus only, might be misinterpreted as belonging to the genus
Corynoptera
. All species of the
Corynoptera vagula
group sensu
Vilkamaa & Hippa (2006)
belong in fact to species of the genus
Scatopsciara
(see also
Mohrig
et al.
2013
: 195). Accordingly, the following species were combined new:
Scatopsciara fera
(
Mohrig & Heller, 1992
)
comb. n.
;
Scatopsciara nyxa
Mohrig & Menzel, 1992
recomb. n..
2
.
Sc. armata
group
includes the species
arenicola
,
alawae
,
praealawae
and
ventrospinula
.
The species group is characterized by a small tibial organ and a short c (1/2 w or shorter). Gonostylus are short and curved, the apex is slightly or strongly divided and the inner side has strong spines; apex of hind tibiae has two distinct, unequal spurs.
3
.
Sc. inesae
group
includes the species
anobae,
awanatae
,
chenoae
,
cucumeris
,
inesae
,
itumae
,
miakodae
,
praeawanatae
,
subawanatae
,
subitumae
and
submiakodae
. This species group is characterized by brown body hairiness, two or more bristles on the basal segment of the palpus (rarely only one); wings with long c (longer ½ w); a broad, comb-like tibial organ; two distinct unequal spurs on the apex of middle and/or hind tibiae; gonostylus bulbous or slender, with 2–4 apical spines. Species resemble
Bradysia
in the shape of the gonostylus and a rather broad comb-like row of bristles of the tibial organ. Currently this species group is known for North America only.