The literature pertaining to the dipteran families Tipulidae, Limoniidae
and Trichoceridae of Malta is reviewed. New material has been studied and as a
result, 11 new records are added for the islands. The family Trichoceridae is also
recorded for the first time.peer-reviewe

Ebejer, Martin J.

English

OAR@UM

Bulletin of the entomological Society of malta (2015) Vol. 7 :  51–55The Craneflies (Diptera, Tipulidae and Limoniidae) and Winter Gnats (Diptera, Trichoceridae) of MaltaMartin J. EBEJER1ABSTRACT. The literature pertaining to the dipteran families Tipulidae, Limoniidae and Trichoceridae of Malta is reviewed. New material has been studied and as a result, 11 new records are added for the islands. The family Trichoceridae is also recorded for the first time.KEY WORDS. Mediterranean, new records.INTRODUCTION  This group of flies is very poorly represented among the fauna of the Maltese Islands and little has been recorded about it. There are about 17,000 described species of Tipuloidea worldwide (OOsterbrOek, 2014), yet only 16 species are known from Malta. Although there are approximately 116 described species of Trichoceridae worldwide, only one is found on Malta. This is not surprising since Trichoceridae are predominantly inhabitants of humid habitats with a high organic content in cool to cold climates. Species of Tipuloidea can be found almost everywhere including deserts, but the highest diversity is reached in moist temperate climes.   Although the Trichoceridae are not closely related to the Tipulidae and Limoniidae (despite the superficial resemblance) the family is included here for convenience. No Pediciidae or Cylindrotomidae are known from Malta.  The Tipuloidea have larvae that feed in a variety of pabula ranging from moist terrestrial habitats where they develop in rotting wood, in soil or in moss or in overtly aquatic habitats. The puparial stage of all species is terrestrial and the vast majority of larvae are phytophagous.  The earliest record (Zetterstedt, 1851: 3998) of a tipuloid fly from Malta is Pachyrhina maculosa (Meigen, 1818), a species sent to him by a Mr Delicata. Pachyrhina maculosa is a junior synonym of Nephrotoma appendiculata (Pierre, 1919). It is mentioned again in beZZi & de stefani-PereZ (1897) on the basis of Zetterstedt’s same publication. Cilia (1973) recorded Tipula oleracea Linnaeus, 1758 as a common species from April to November, but this flight period is evidently wrong, as the exceedingly hot and dry summer months would not sustain the adults. More likely the flight period is in the reverse, namely November to April.  OOsterbrOek & theOwald (1992) recorded Nephrotoma appendiculata pertenua (Oosterbroek, 1978), N. cornicina (Linnaeus, 1758), Tipula mediterranea Lackschewitz, 1930, T. oleracea Linnaeus, 1758 and Ellipteroides lateralis (Macquart, 1835). In the online world catalogue (OOsterbrOek, 2014) Limonia nubeculosa Meigen, 1804) is added. 1 Entomology Section, Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, UK. E-mail: martin.ebejer@btinternet.comDOI: 10.17387/BULLENTSOCMALTA.2015.04  All the material examined was collected by the author and is in the author’s collection (part dry and part in alcohol) unless otherwise stated or followed by the codon NMWC (National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, UK).ANNOTATED SPECIES LISTFamily Limoniidae Speiser, 1909Cheilotrichia cinerascens (Meigen, 1804)Material examined: Malta, Buskett, 12.i.1980, 1 ♂; Fiddien, 8.i.1992, 1 ♀. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Dicranomyia chorea (Meigen, 1818)Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 21.vii.1977, 1 ♂, 25.vii.1977, 1 ♂, Buskett, 14.iv.1977, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, 22.iv.1992, 1 ♀, 25.iv.1994, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀.Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Dicranomyia sericata (Meigen, 1830)Material examined: Malta, Qormi, Wied il-Kbir, 20.ii.1977, 3 ♂♂ & 1 ♀; Wied Incita, 27.ii.1994, 2 ♂♂ & 2 ♀♀, 6.iii.1994, 5 ♂♂. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Ellipteroides lateralis (Macquart, 1835) Notes: Recorded in the Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera (savChenkO et al., 1992) and in the online World Catalogue of Craneflies (OOsterbrOek, 2014).Erioconopa diuturna (Walker, 1848)Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 3.xi.1991, 1 ♂, 24.xii.1998, 2 ♂♂; Fiddien, 5.iii.1991, 2 ♂♂, 8.iv.1992, 4 ♂♂, 14.iv.1996, 2 ♂♂ & 1 ♀; Gnejna, 4.i.1987, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀; Rabat, Wied Għomor, 31.iii.1992, 1 ♂; Wied Qannotta, 16.vii.1995, 1 ♂, 18.iii.1996, 2 ♂♂. Gozo, Wied ir-Ramla, 10.iv.1993, 1 ♂ & 2 ♀♀.Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Erioptera fuscipennis Meigen, 1818Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 6.iv.1985, 1 ♂ (NMWC); Wied Incita, 5.i.1987, 1 ♂. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.52                                                                                                                                              M. J. EBEJERHelius flavus (Walker, 1856)Material examined: Malta, Fiddien, 11.v.1992, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ [determined by J. Kramer (Leicester)]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Limonia nubeculosa Meigen, 1804Material examined: Malta, Balzan, 2.iii.1976, 1 ♂, 22.ii.1977, 1 ♀; Birzebbugia, Għar il-Friefet, 1.vii.1975, 1 ♀; Buskett, 12.i.1980, 1 ♂, 22.iv.1992, 1 ♂ 1.v.1992, 1 ♀, 27.iii.1994, 1 ♂ & 2 ♀♀, 20.iii.1996, 1 ♀; Fawwara, 18.iii.1992, 2 ♂♂; Fiddien, 14.iv.1996, 1 ♂. Gozo, Mgarr ix-Xini, 23.iv.1992, 2 ♀♀.Molophilus obscurus (Meigen, 1818)Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 27.xii.1975, 1 ♂, 2.ii.1994, 2 ♂♂ & 1 ♀.  Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Symplecta hybrida (Meigen, 1804)Material examined: Malta, Fiddien, 14.iv.1996, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀; Wied il-Mistra, 17.iii.1996, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, J.C.Deeming; Wied Qannotta, 16.vii.1995, 1 ♂. Gozo, Ramla dunes, 21.iv.1994, 1 ♂. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Symplecta pilipes (Fabricius, 1787)Material examined: Malta, Balzan, 23.x.1993, 2 ♂♂; Fiddien, 11.v.1992, 1 ♀, 14.iv.1996, 2 ♂♂ & 1 ♀; Fomm ir-Riħ, 16.iv.1994, 1 ♂, 25.iv.1994, 4 ♂♂; Salina, 16.iv.1977, 3 ♂♂, 11.iv.1994, 3 ♂♂ & 1 ♀; Wied Qannotta, 5.iv.1992, 1 ♂, 16.xii.1995, 2 ♂♂. Gozo, Wied ir-Ramla, 23.iv.1992, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, 21.iv.1994, 17 ♂♂ & 9 ♀♀.Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Symplecta stictica (Meigen, 1818)Material examined: Malta, Mgiebaħ, 24.iii.1996, 2 ♂♂ & 2 ♀♀; Salina, 16.iv.1977, 3 ♂♂ & 2 ♀♀. Gozo, Ramla dunes, 23.iv.1992, 3 ♂♂ & 2 ♀♀, 21.iv.1994, 6 ♂♂.Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands.Craneflies and Winter Gnats of Malta                                                                  53Family Tipulidae  Latreille, 1802Nephrotoma appendiculata pertenua (Oosterbroek, 1978)Material examined: Malta, Balzan, 1.iii.1991, 3 ♂♂; Marfa Ridge, 22.iii.1992, 1 ♂; Qormi, Wied il-Kbir, 20.ii.1977, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀; Rabat, Wied Għomor, 31.iii.1992, 1 ♂; Wied Incita, 27.ii.1994, 1 ♂; Wied is-Sewda, 5.iv.1976, 1 ♂, 12.ii.1977, 1 ♂. Comino, Santa Marija, 28–30.iii.2002, 1 ♂.  Nephrotoma cornicina (Linnaeus, 1758)Notes: Recorded in the Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera (OOsterbrOek & theOwald, 1992) and in the online World Catalogue of Craneflies (OOsterbrOek, 2014).Tipula mediterranea Lackshevitz, 1930Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 2.ii.1994, 1 ♂; Gnejna, 9.iii, 1996, 1 ♂.Tipula oleracea Linnaeus, 1758Material examined: Malta, Baħrija, 2.ii.1994, 1 ♂; Għajn Riħana, 2.x.1976, 1 ♂; Gnejna, 9.iii.1996, 1 ♂; Mgiebaħ, 26.iii.1995, 1 ♂;  Mistra, 17.iii.1996, 1 ♂; Rabat, Wied Liemu, 24.v.1998, 1 ♂; Salina, 11.iv.1976, 1 ♂; Wardija, 25.ii.1996, 1 ♂; Wied Incita, 6.iii.1994, 1 ♂. Gozo, Mgarr ix-Xini, 23.iv.1992, 1 ♂; Ramla dunes; 23.iv.1992, 1 ♂.  Family Trichoceridae Kertész, 1902Trichocera annulata Meigen, 1818Material examined: Malta, Balzan, 20.ii.1976, 1 ♀; Buskett, 12.i.1980, 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, 29.xii.1998, 2 ♀♀; Wied Incita, 5.i.1987, 1 ♂; Wied Qannotta, 20.ii.1994, 2 ♂♂. Notes: New family and species record for the Maltese Islands.CONCLUSION  The present paper lists ten new records of Limoniidae and the new family and species record of Trichoceridae. All but two earlier records of Tipuloidea are confirmed. Ellipteroides lateralis (Macquart) and Nephrotoma cornicina (Linnaeus) have not been found again. However, this does not imply that the records are incorrect as more fieldwork is required to ascertain their status.  theOwald (1984) in his r evision of t he subgenus Tipula (Tipula) Linnaeus, 1758, maps the occurrance of T. oleracea on Malta, but does not specify any records. This subgenus has a number of very closely related species with few external morphological characters to enable confident identification. This must rely upon detailed examination of the male postabdomen. Some of the species seem to have a disjunct distribution around the Mediterranean, or at least they are not recorded from some intervening countries. Tipula subcunctans Alexander, 1921 and T. italica Lachschewitz, 1930 occur in Sicily. It is possible that one or both of these species may yet be found on Malta. It is most curious that from the large subgenus Tipula (Lunatipula), with so many representative species occurring all around the Mediterranean, not one has been found on Malta. 54                                                                                                                                              M. J. EBEJER  Several more species of Limoniidae should occur on Malta. There are so many that are very common and widespread around the Mediterranean that the dearth of species on the Maltese Islands is somewhat mysterious. The wholescale destruction of habitats, unplanned and uncontrolled urbanisation, and excessive uncontrolled use of pesticides in agriculture no doubt contributed to this state of affairs. However, more intensive fieldwork is also required in order to ascertain the true status of these insects in the Maltese Islands.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS  I thank John Kramer (Leicester, UK) for kindly checking and correcting some of my identifications and John Deeming (Cardiff, UK) for donating specimens.REFERENCESbeZZi, M. & de stefani, T. (1897) Enumerazione dei Ditteri fino ad ora raccolti in Sicilia. Il Naturalista Siciliano (n.s.), 2: 25–72.Cilia, J. (1973) An Entomologist’s Diary: Diptera. The Maltese Naturalist, 4: 15–18.dahl, C. (1992) Family Trichoceridae (Pp. 31–37). In: sOós, a. & PaPP, L. [eds.], Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 1: Trichoceridae–Nymphomyiidae. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest. 520 pp.theOwald, BR. (1984) Taxonomie, phylogenie und biogeographie der untergattung Tipula (Tipula) Linnaeus, 1758 (Insecta, Diptera, Tipulidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 127: 33–78.OOsterbrOek, P. (2014) Catalogue of the Craneflies of the World. Amsterdam, http:/www.science.uva.nl/zma/ (accessed December 2014)OOsterbrOek, P. & theOwald, Br. (1992) Family Tipulidae (Pp. 56–178). In: sOós, a. & PaPP, L. [eds.], Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 1: Trichoceridae–Nymphomyiidae. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest. 520 pp.savChenkO, e.n., OOsterbrOek, P. & starý, J. (1992) Family Limoniidae (Pp. 183–369). In: sOós, a. & PaPP, L. [eds.], Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Vol. 1: Trichoceridae–Nymphomyiidae. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest. 520 pp.Zetterstedt, J. (1851) Diptera Scandinaviae disposita et descripta. 10: 3711–4090. Lund.Craneflies and Winter Gnats of Malta                                                                  55Received: Januray 20, 2015Accepted: March 20, 2015

An Entomologist’s Diary: Diptera.

Catalogue of the Craneflies of the World.

Enumerazione dei Ditteri fino ad ora raccolti in Sicilia.

Family Limoniidae (Pp.

Family Tipulidae (Pp.

Family Trichoceridae (Pp.

Taxonomie, phylogenie und biogeographie der untergattung Tipula (Tipula) Linnaeus,

Winter Gnats of Malta 55 Received:

The Craneflies (Diptera, Tipulidae and Limoniidae) and Winter Gnats (Diptera, Trichoceridae) of Malta

https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/2771/04Ebejer-2015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The Craneflies (Diptera, Tipulidae and Limoniidae) and Winter Gnats (Diptera, Trichoceridae) of Malta

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