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
Genus
Scatopsciara
Edwards, 1927 s
. str.
Type species:
Sciara quinquelineata
Macquart, 1834: 149
(=
Sciara vitripennis
Meigen, 1818
).
Literature:
Tonnoir & Edwards (1927)
: 798 (as subgenus of
Sciara
Meigen
);
Frey (1948)
: 69–70;
Tuomikoski (1960)
: 150–156;
Menzel & Mohrig (2000)
: 480–508;
Mohrig
et al
. (2013)
: 233–241.
Diagnosis
. The genus is characterized by short palpus with or without sensory pit. Basal segment of palpus has two or more bristles (in small species sometimes one bristle only). Wings are mostly short and wide with a very short R1 (rarely seen in other genera like small species of
Bradysia
) and bare posterior veins. Scutum has short bristles. Scutellum has two longer marginal bristles. Tip of fore tibiae possesses a small comb of specialized bristles (tibial organ) like in
Bradysia
, but in most species it is much smaller and sometimes on a process like small lobe. Middle and hind tibiae possess distinct unequal spurs. One of two spurs is strongly reduced or absent in many species of
Scatopsciara
s. str
.. In species of the subgenus
Xenopygina
Frey (1948)
length of tibial spurs on middle and hind tibiae differs less which may sometimes lead to a misidentification of species belonging to other genera (especially species of
Bradysia
or
Corynoptera
). Claws are toothless. Gonostylus has an apical tooth (subgenus
Scatopsciara
Edwards
) or apical/subapical spines only (subgenus
Xenopygina
Frey
).