The fungus gnats (Diptera: Bolitophilidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae) of Sardinia, with description of six new species *
Author
Chandler, Peter J.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2009-12-22
2318
journal volume
1175-5326
11.
Pyratula takkae
Chandler, 2001
**
(
Figs 4–5
)
Material examined.
S1
4–18.IV.06
1 ♂
.
SAR1
16.II–15.VI.04
1 ♂
.
Chorotype.
Type
6 [3.01 of
Vigna Taglianti
et al.
(1999)
].
Mediterranean
, previously known only from
Greece
(Pelopponese)
.
Italian distribution.
Sardinia
only.
Notes.
Chandler and Blasco-Zumeta (2001)
included descriptions of six species of the
Pyratula perpusilla
Edwards, 1925
group, mostly from the Mediterranean region, only
P. perpusilla
itself being known from northern Europe. Among the species described in that paper these specimens are concluded to be conspecific with
P.takkae
pending discovery of further material. They agree well in most characters of the male genitalia (
Figs 4–5
), in particular in the structure of the apical margin of the gonocoxites, which is characteristic in species of this group. The
holotype
of
P. takkae
was unusual in this genus in having strong setae on the mediotergite. These specimens differ in lacking these setae so in the absence of other material it is not possible to say which condition is typical of the species. The
holotype
has the head damaged and lacks flagellomeres. The Sardinian specimens have the antenna 1.5 times as long as the thorax and the flagellomeres are about twice as long as broad.
Chandler (2004b)
recorded
P. perpusilla
as new to
Italy
from Bosco della Fontana and
Kurina (2008)
recorded two species of this group from South Tyrol,
P. alpicola
Chandler, 2001
(also known from
Czech Republic
, the Swiss Alps and
Andorra
) and
P. oracula
Chandler, 1994
(mainly Mediterranean but also occurring in
Czech Republic
and
Switzerland
). The finding of this species in
Sardinia
is thus of considerable interest, identifying
Italy
as having the richest known fauna of this genus.