The hybotid Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971 is recorded as a species new to the British Isles and Norway based on material obtained from exposed riverine sediments. The key to British Platypalpus is modified to accommodate this species. Whilst collecting flies from river shingle on the River Tummel in 2015, I swept two female specimens of Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971, which were identified using the key by Grootaert and Chvála (1992). This is the first record of this species in Britain. Both specimens were swept from the vegetated sand and shingle toe of Ballinluig Shingle Island (NN9753, MidPerthshire V.C. 88) on 9.vii.2015. Ballinluig Island is an extensive deposit of cobble, shingle and sand with various stages of vegetational development from bare substrate to closed canopy woodland. The site is well-known for its diverse assemblage of specialist insects of exposed riverine sediments. Other species of Platypalpus collected from the immediate area were P. candicans (Fallén) and P. interstinctus (Collin), whilst a single P. optivus (Collin) was swept off thinly vegetated loose sand higher up the bar; P. minutus (Meigen), P. notatus (Meigen), P. pallidiventris (Meigen), P. albifacies (Collin) and P. interstinctus were collected off nearby cobbles with scattered vegetation

Hewitt, Stephen M.

Summary: \ud
The hybotid Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971 is recorded as a species new to the British Isles and Norway based on material obtained from exposed riverine sediments. The key to British Platypalpus is modified to accommodate this species.\ud
\ud
Introduction: \ud
Whilst collecting flies from river shingle on the River Tummel in 2015, I swept two female specimens of Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971, which were identified using the key by Grootaert and Chvála (1992). This is the first record of this species in Britain. Both specimens \ud
were swept from the vegetated sand and shingle toe of Ballinluig Shingle Island (NN9753, MidPerthshire V.C. 88) on 9.vii.2015. Ballinluig Island is an extensive deposit of cobble, shingle and sand with various stages of vegetational development from bare substrate to closed canopy woodland. The site is well-known for its diverse assemblage of specialist insects of exposed riverine sediments. Other species of Platypalpus collected from the immediate area were P. \ud
candicans (Fallén) and P. interstinctus (Collin), whilst a single P. optivus (Collin) was swept off thinly vegetated loose sand higher up the bar; P. minutus (Meigen), P. notatus (Meigen), P. pallidiventris (Meigen), P. albifacies (Collin) and P. interstinctus were collected off nearby cobbles with scattered vegetation

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Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev (Diptera, Hybotidae) new to Britain and Norway

Hewitt, Stephen M

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Hewitt,  Stephen  M.  (2016)  Platypalpus  aliterolamellatus  Kovalev  (Diptera, Hybotidae) new to Britain and Norway. Dipterists Digest, 23 (1). pp. 62-66. 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Alternatively contact the University of Cumbria Repository Editor by emailing insight@cumbria.ac.uk.Dipterists Digest 2016 23,   Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev (Diptera, Hybotidae) new to Britain and Norway  STEPHEN M. HEWITT *Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, National Museums Collection Centre, 242 West Granton Road, Edinburgh EH5 1JA. Email: s.hewitt@nms.ac.uk  Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Lake District Campus, University of Cumbria, Rydal Road, Ambleside, Cumbria,  LA22 9BB  *Address for correspondance  Summary The hybotid Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971 is recorded as a species new to the British Isles and Norway based on material obtained from exposed riverine sediments.  The key to British Platypalpus is modified to accommodate this species.  Introduction Whilst collecting flies from river shingle on the River Tummel in 2015, I swept two female specimens of Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev, 1971, which were identified using the key published by Grootaert and Chvála (1992).   This is the first record of this species in Britain. Both specimens were swept from the vegetated sand and shingle toe of Ballinluig Shingle Island (NN9753, Mid-Perthshire V.C. 88) on 9.vii.2015.  Ballinluig Island is an extensive deposit of cobble, shingle and sand with various stages of vegetational development from bare substrate to closed canopy woodland.  The site is well-known for its diverse assemblage of specialist insects of exposed riverine sediments.  Other species of Platypalpus collected from the immediate area were P. candicans (Fallén) and P. interstinctus (Collin), whilst a single P. optivus (Collin) was swept off thinly vegetated loose sand higher up the bar; P. minutus (Meigen), P. notatus (Meigen), P. pallidiventris (Meigen), P. albifacies (Collin) and P. interstinctus were collected off nearby cobbles with scattered vegetation.  Distribution and ecology  Platypalpus aliterolamellatus was described from the St Petersburg area of north European Russia (Kovalev 1971).  Merz and Chvála (1998) illustrated the male genitalia (Fig. 1) and gave further records from the region of Styria in Austria, and from Switzerland where specimens were swept from undergrowth in moist forest on sandy soils subject to periodic riverine flooding.  Chvála (1989) additionally reported the species from central parts of European Russia and it is also recorded from Sweden (Hellqvist, S. 2013).  In addition to the Ballinluig specimens, I also collected P. aliterolamellatus from two sites in Norway in 2015: a single female was swept from vegetation on a river sand/shingle bar near Rognes (63.0158, 10.3872) on 23.vii.2015, and a single male from rough grassland near Heligskogen (69.2712, 19.9324) on 29.vii.2015.  These latter records appear to be the first for Norway. Although habitat information is sparse, there is some indication that P. aliterolamellatus may have some affiliation with vegetated, exposed riverine sediments.  Identification Platypalpus aliterolamellatus belongs in the P. pallidiventris – P. cursitans group of Chvála (1989 op. cit.), which have a black thorax, one pair of vertical bristles, mesonotum dusted, a single humeral bristle present and mid femora with posteroventral bristles.  Using Plant (2012) one is taken to Key E – species with black thorax, one pair of vertical setae, scutum distinctly dusted and basal antennal segments dark.  Specimens of P. aliterolamellatus then run to the couplet separating P. cothurnatus from P. cryptospina .  Platypalpus aliterolamellatus differs from P. cothurnatus in not having a distinctly yellowish wing membrane and the tibial spur is pointed not blunt.  Platypalpus cryptospina  differs from P. aliterolamellatus in having tarsi with distinct annulations (yellow with apical two segments somewhat darkened in P. aliterolamellatus), the two rows of acrostichal bristles closer together and vertical bristles dark (yellowish in aliterolamellatus).  Plant’s key to British Platypalpus in group E is reproduced here with alterations made to accommodate P. altiterolamellatus.  Key to British species of Platypalpus with black thorax, one pair of vertical setae, scutum distinctly dusted and basal antennal segments dark (Plant 2012) modified to include P. aliterolamellatus.  1. F? without pv bristles behind the double row of small black ventral spines; acr and dc minute; tarsi yellow or with only apical tarsomere dark......................................................2 - F? with distinct pv bristles behind the double row of small black ventral spines; acr and dc moderately long; tarsi distinctly annulated or with apical 1-2 tarsomeres darkened ...........3  2. T? with long sharply pointed apical spur about as long as limb is deep; postpedicel 3X as long as wide, stylus thickened; tarsi completely yellow ............................ aristatus (Collin) - T? with blunt apical spur about as long as limb is deep; postpedicel 2-2.5X as long as deep, stylus slender; apical tarsomere black ................................................. tonsus (Collin)  3. T? with apical spur shorter than tibia is deep or if about as long, then blunt tipped ............4 - T? with apical spur large, sharply pointed, longer than limb is deep ...................................6  [species with a blunt-tipped spur about as long as limb is deep are keyed both ways]  4. Wing membrane distinctly yellowish; T? with apical spur about as long as limb is wide, blunt, male with tiny spine at tip; apical tarsomeres dark ................ cothurnatus Macquart - Wing membrane clear or faintly brownish; T? with apical spur very small and pointed; tarsi annulated or entirely yellow or with apical tarsomeres darkened ................................5  5. Tarsi with distinct dark annulations; the two rows of acr close together; vt bristles dark ............................................................................................................... cryptospina (Frey) - Tarsi yellow or with apical 1-2 tarsomeres darkened, no annulations; acr wider apart; vt bristles yellowish ........................................................................ aliterolamellatus Kovalev  6. T? with apical spur only about as long as limb is wide, blunt, male with tiny spine at tip. Wing membrane distinctly yellowish; apical 1-2 tarsomeres of all legs dark   ........................................................................................................ cothurnatus Macquart - T? with apical spur long, sharply pointed (other characters various) ..................................7  7. Larger thoracic bristles black ..............................................................................................8 - Larger thoracic bristles yellowish to brownish ....................................................................9  8. Legs extensively darkened, coxae black; T? with apical spur sharply pointed (acr clearly 4-serial at front) ............................................................................... melancholicus (Collin) - Legs extensively yellowish, coxae yellow; T? blunter tipped with minute spine and even smaller hair apically (acr usually 4-serial but sometimes 2 or 3 serial in part)   .................................................................................................................... optivus (Collin)  9. Scutum with acr 4-serial, at least in front; legs usually extensively darkened; F? usually not much narrower than F? ................................................................................................ 10 - Scutum with acr 2-serial [care! P. notatus can have a few extra acr and appear 4-serial in part]; legs yellowish or extensively darkened; F? sometimes obviously narrower than F?   .......................................................................................................................................... 11  10. Large thoracic bristles yellowish; acr rather long; usually 4-serial throughout; legs usually paler with C?, C?, C? at base, rather broad rings on all femora and tip of T? and T? darkened; hind trochanter usually yellowish; tarsi very strongly dark annulated; wing membrane vaguely darkened; veins brown; smaller species (2.3-3.3 mm)   ............................................................................................................... annulatus (Fallén) - Large thoracic bristles brownish to black; acr shorter, usually 2-serial about middle and posteriorly; legs more extensively darkened with all coxae and all femora (except at tip) strongly darkened; hind trochanter darkened; tarsi less strongly annulated (tarsomeres with dark apical part less abruptly divided from paler basal part); wing membrane distinctly brownish; larger species (2.9-3.8 mm) ............................ melancholicus (Collin)  11. Antenna with postpedicel at least 2.5X long as deep, stylus about as long or slightly longer than postpedicel...................................................................................................... 12 - Antenna with postpedicel shorter, no more than 2X long as deep, stylus obviously longer than postpedicel ................................................................................................................. 17  12. Abdomen polished black, sometimes with small patches of grey dusting laterally on tergites 1 and 2 .................................................................................................................. 13 - Abdomen with distinct patches of grey dusting on all tergites basally .............................. 15  13. Vt setae closer together (hardly 1.5X width of frons by anterior ocellus); F? not much stouter than F?; tergites 1 and 2 with small lateral patches of dusting; tarsi faintly annulated but apical tarsomere black; legs otherwise yellow with conspicuous black ‘knees’   .................................................................................................................. infectus (Collin) - Vt setae wider apart (about 2X width of frons by anterior ocellus); F?  not much stouter than F?; abdomen entirely shining black; legs yellowish or extensively darkened but always with distinct annulated tarsi ................................................................................... 14  14. Legs extensively darkened; at least C?, C?, C? at base, F? and F? apically dark [paler individuals occur, their coxae are dark at least about the base, F? and F? have at least a dark dorsal patch or median ring]; face narrower than frons anteriorly; vt setae pale   ................................................................................................................. notatus (Meigen) - Legs extensively yellowish [pale yellow to orange]; C?, C? at most dark basally, F? and F? sometimes with faintly dark ring or apex; frons broader, similar width as face; vt setae brownish ........................................................................................ strigifrons (Zetterstedt)  [very pale examples of P. notatus can be confused with dark specimens of P. strigifrons and determination should be confirmed by genitalia examination; P. notatus is common and widespread whereas P. strigifrons is confined to sand dunes]  15. Legs yellow (including coxae); basal antennal segments sometimes dark reddish brown [some individuals recall dark examples of P. pallidiventris but in that species the anterior notopleural is developed] ..................................................................... praecinctus (Collin) - Legs obviously darkened on coxae and femora ................................................................. 16  16. Antenna entirely dark; acr irregularly 2-3 serial; stylus of equal length to postpedicel (male) or slightly longer (female)................................................................. carteri (Collin) - Antenna with basal segments reddish yellow; acr  regularly 2 serial; stylus 1.5X length of postpedicel ................................................................................................ latemi Grootaert  [specimens conforming with P. latemi have been found in Britain.  It has not been admitted formally to the British list and since first describing the species, Grootaert has expressed doubts that it is a valid species.  It may be a dark form of P. praecinctus]  17. Smaller (1.5-2.6 mm); palpi smaller, greyish yellow [can be quite dark]; clypeus polished black; antenna with postpedicel only slightly longer than wide; legs yellow (including coxae and femora), tarsi annulated; vt setae wider apart; dusting on scutum tinged golden yellow ..................................................................................................... clarandus (Collin) - Larger (2.4-3.6 mm); palpi quite large, brownish; clypeus dusted silvery grey; antenna with postpedicel 1.5X as long as wide; legs usually with dark markings on femora; vt setae closer together; dusting on scutum tinged brownish grey………………………………….…….18    Fig. 1. Male genitalia of Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev 1971 (adapted from Merz and Chvála 1998) – left to right: right periandrial lamella, periandrum with cerci, left periandrial lamella.  18. Palpi clearly longer than broad; acr less numerous, the 2-serial rows conspicuously wide apart; male T? not spindle-shaped, with short ventral hair ................. interstinctus (Collin) - Palpi broadly ovate, hardly longer than broad; acr more numerous, the 2-serial rows closer together; male T? spindle-shaped, with longer pv bristles and a few bristly hairs dorsally .............................................................................................. pseudofulvipes (Frey)   Acknowledgements I am grateful to Zoe Simmons at Oxford University Museum of Natural History for allowing me access to comparative material in the Chvála collection there.  I also wish to thank Adrian Plant of the National Museum of Wales for confirming my identification and much helpful advice.  Finally, my thanks to Graham Rotheray for useful comments on a draft of this paper.  References  Chvála, M. 1989. Monograph of northern and central European species of Platypalpus (Diptera, Hybotidae) with data on the occurrence in Czechoslovakia. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Biologica 32, 209-376. Grootaert, P. and Chvála, M. 1992. Monograph of the genus Platypalpus (Diptera: Empidoidea, Hybotidae) of the Mediterranean region and Canary Islands. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Biologica 36, 3-226. Hellqvist, S. 2013. Nytt i den svenska fluglistan från norra Sverige. [New species in the Swedish Brachycera list from Northern Sweden.] Entomologisk tidskrift 134 (3), 111-119. Kovalev, V.G. 1971. New European species of the genus Platypalpus Macq. (Diptera, Empididae). Entomologicheskoe obozrenie 50, 200-213. Merz, B. and Chvála, M. 1998. A remarkable finding of Platypalpus (Diptera, Hybotidae) in southern Switzerland with description of a new species from Switzerland and Czech Republic. Studia dipterologica  5(1), 85-94). Plant, A. 2012. A key to British species of Platypalpus Macq. (Hybotidae). Dipterists Forum - Empid & Dolichopodid Recording Scheme Newsletter 17, 1-12.  

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Platypalpus aliterolamellatus Kovalev (Diptera, Hybotidae) new to Britain and Norway

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