The flat-footed fly genus Seri Kessel & Kessel (Diptera: Platypezidae)
Author
Cumming, Jeffrey M.
Author
Cumming, Heather J.
text
Zootaxa
2011
3136
61
68
journal article
45743
10.5281/zenodo.279513
56a0e1bf-bf74-4178-ae2a-ec2d5ec53893
1175-5326
279513
Seri obscuripennis
(Oldenberg)
Clythia obscuripennis
Oldenberg, 1916
: 123
(male and female).
Platypeza obscuripennis
(Oldenberg)
:
Chandler, 1974
: 22
.
Seri obscuripennis
(Oldenberg)
:
Chandler, 1974
: 22
.
Diagnosis.
Body color grey in female without bluish hue, legs greyish brown with tarsi more yellowish brown, male black with darker legs than female; wing of female with M2 equal to apical section of M1+2 (see
Chandler 1974
, fig. 22); hind tarsomere 2 of female with two long anterior setae at apex (see
Chandler 2001
, fig. 277); male genitalia with phallus projected well beyond hypandrium (see
Chandler & Shatalkin 1998
, fig. 29;
Chandler 2001
, fig. 278).
Larva and puparium described by
Chandler (2001)
and
Rotheray et al. (2004)
: larva cylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally flattened, lateral and dorsal processes of body segments inconspicuous and hair-like, anal segment with small pair of caudal wart-like protuberances; puparium with dehiscence lines of operculum along lateral margins of segments 2–4 and posteriorly along basal two thirds of tergite 5.
Distribution.
Although rarely collected, this species is widespread in the Palaearctic Region having been recorded from Europe (
Britain
,
Norway
,
Sweden
,
Finland
,
Netherlands
,
Poland
,
Czech Republic
,
Switzerland
,
Austria
,
Hungary
,
Romania
, Central
Russia
) and the Russian Far East (Amur Region) (Chandler 1991, 2001).
Shatalkin (1985)
indicated that
S. obscuripennis
was more commonly collected in the Amur Region than in Central
Russia
.
Ševčík (2001)
and
Webb (2004)
were also able to obtain series of adult specimens by rearing larvae from
Polyporus
fungi in the
Czech Republic
and
Britain
, respectively.
Remarks.
Despite lack of males,
Chandler (1974)
considered it best to maintain
S. obscuripennis
and
S. dymka
as separate species, because closely related Palaearctic and Nearctic platypezid taxa have generally been found to be specifically distinct. Comparison of the different phallus lengths in both species now supports Chandler’s decision.
Chandler (2001, fig. 277)
also illustrated the female hind tarsus of
S. obscuripennis
with two long anterior setae at the apex of tarsomere 2, whereas females of
S. dymka
consistently have only one long anterior seta. This may be an additional diagnostic feature that distinguishes females of the two species.
Vaňhara (1986)
recorded a single adult of
S. obscuripennis
from a light trap set in a hardwood forest in the
Czech Republic
.
Ševčík (2001)
and
Webb (2004)
reared larvae
S. obscuripennis
from tough textured
Polyporus
fungi species, namely
P. durus
(=
P. badius
) and
P. v a r i u s
. The host association with the softer textured
Polyporus squamosus
fungus suggested by
Chandler (2001)
appears to have been incorrect (
Webb 2004
).