Search

Two new crane fly species, Dicranomyia (Erostrata) jejuensissp. nov. and D. (E.) koreanasp. nov., from Korea are described on the basis of morphology and mitochondrial COI sequences. DNA barcode sequences for other four D. (Erostrata) species from Korea are also provided for the first time. The identification key for all known D. (Erostrata) species is presented.

Thirty-four known species and subspecies of the genus Antocha Osten Sacken, 1860 have been recorded from China, of which four occur in Tibet. Herein, two new Antocha species, A. (Antocha) curvativasp. nov. and A. (A.) tibetanasp. nov., are described and illustrated from Tibet. The new species are distinguished from congeners mainly by their male genitalia. Antocha (A.) spiralis Alexander, 1932 and A. (A.) setigera Alexander, 1933, which are newly recorded in Tibet, are redescribed and illustrated. A key to Antocha species in the Qinghai-Tibet region of China is also presented.

The Mediterranean region of the Western Palearctic is one of the most species-rich biomes in the world, hosting a high level of endemism and relict species with important conservation value. The North Africa Atlas Mountains (spanning Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) belong to a poorly investigated region of the Mediterranean area, with overlooked aquatic biodiversity, hence a number of species still remain to be discovered. The subgenus Antocha Osten Sacken, 1860 is recorded for the first time from Africa, with description of Antocha (Antocha) aule Keresztes & Mabrouki sp. n. from hilly regions of the Middle Atlas region, Morocco. Taxonomic revision of the sugenus Antocha from the Western Palearctic area is proposed based on male genital structures, especially in the shape of the outer gonostylus and aedeagus of individuals belonging to populations from geographically distant regions. The unique design of the male terminalia differentiate well the newly discovered species from its closely-related and range-restricted A. phoenicia Thomas & Dia, 1982. This is in contrast with the high intraspecific and geographically poorly defined variability of the widespread Antocha (A.) vitripennis (Meigen, 1830). Illustrations of male genital parts, distribution data, and key to the species from the Western Palearctic area are also provided. The newly discovered species belongs to the Antocha vitripennis Species Group and represents native elements of limited distribution in the Western Palearctic area, likely isolated in a few freshwater ecosystems in a region with severely declining water reserves in the Middle Atlas region, Morocco. Therefore, the discovery of the new species is of special conservation value regarding the freshwater resources from here.

Twenty species of Libnotes (Laosa) Edwards, 1926 are known worldwide and three are known from China so far. Here, two species of Laosa are added to the Chinese fauna, of which L. (L.) baiyunensissp. nov. is described and illustrated as new to science, and L. (L.) fuscinervis Brunetti, 1912 is newly recorded from China. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to L. (L.) charmosyne (Alexander, 1958) but can be distinguished by the pleura of the thorax, the relative position of the additional cross veins in cell r3 and r5, and the details of the male genitalia. A key to the world species of Laosa is presented.

A new species of crane fly (Diptera, Limoniidae), Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) hallasana Podenas & Podeniene, sp. nov., from Jeju Island, South Korea is described. Adult and larval characters are illustrated. Elephantomyia (E.) hallasanasp. nov. is the only species of the genus Elephantomyia Osten Sacken, 1860 recorded from Jeju Island, South Korea. Habitat, elevation range, and seasonality data are presented. Distributional notes on E. subterminalis Alexander, 1954 in the Far East of Russia (Khabarovskiy and Primorskiy regions) are discussed. An identification key for all Eastern Palaearctic species of subgenus E. (Elephantomyia) is presented.

Two new species of Limonia Meigen, 1803, Limonia medexochasp. nov. and Limonia subcostasp. nov. are described and illustrated from Northwest China. The following five species are re-described and reported from China for the first time: L. macrostigma (Schummel, 1829), L. phragmitidis (Schrank, 1781), L. stigma (Meigen, 1818), L. sylvicola (Schummel, 1829) and L. taurica (Strobl, 1895). A key to adult males of Limonia from Northwest China is presented.

The family Limoniidae is the most speciose family of the infraorder Tipulomorpha, as well as one of the largest families of nematoceran Diptera. The oldest known representative of Limoniidae is Architipula youngi Krzemiński, 1992 described from the Upper Triassic of North America (ca. 208 Ma) belonging to the subfamily Architipulinae (Krzemiński, 1992). The subfamily Limoniinae (Limoniidae) stratigraphic range extends from the Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Kania et al., 2014) to the present day, and is divided into two tribes, namely Antochini and Limoniini Savchenko (1985). Antochini currently comprise of the following contemporary genera: Antocha Alexander, 1924 (represented by 160 species); Elliptera Schiner, 1863 (represented by 12 species); Orimarga Osten-Sacken, 1869 (represented by 150 species) and Thaumastoptera Mik, 1866 (represented by 11 species). Representatives of this tribe currently occur on all continents except Antarctica, but individual genera are not distributed uniformly throughout the world (Oosterbroek, 2021). Although the family Limoniidae has been known since the Upper Triassic (Krzemińska & Krzemiński, 2003), the oldest representative of the tribe Antochini is only known from the beginning of the Upper Cretaceous from the Burmese amber from Kachin (Podenas & Poinar, 2009) dated to ca. 99 Ma (Shi et al., 2012).

The short-palped crane fly, Antocha (Antocha) pulchra Markevičiūtė & Podenas sp. nov. is described from specimens collected in Sichuan, China. Antocha (A.) quadrifurca Alexander, 1971 is reported for the first time in China through our research efforts. This article includes illustrations of distinguishing morphological features, an updated checklist, a general distribution and an identification key to species of Antocha Osten Sacken from Sichuan, China.

Lipsothrix jiri Podenas, sp. nov. from South Korea is described and illustrated. It is the second species of Lipsothrix Loew, 1873 recorded so far from the Korean Peninsula. The new species has dark brown dorsal and yellow ventral surface of the body and abundant macrotrichiae in apical wing cells. Elevation range, period of activity, habitat information and a distribution map are presented.

Two new species of crane flies belonging to the genus Atypophthalmus Brunetti, 1911, A. (Atypophthalmus) kleini Podenas, sp. nov. and A. (Microlimonia) jeju Podenas & Podeniene, sp. nov. collected in South Korea in 2017 and 2019 are described and illustrated. Larvae and female pupa for A. (Microlimonia) jeju sp. nov. are described. The pupa for the subgenus A. (Microlimonia) is described for the first time. An updated list and key for adults of all Korean Atypophthalmus are presented.

The short-palped crane fly, Antocha (Antocha) bella Markevičiūtė & Podenas sp. nov., is described from specimens collected in Sichuan, China. Redescriptions of Antocha (Antocha) fortidens Alexander, 1933 and Antocha (Antocha) nebulipennis immaculata Alexander, 1938, illustrations of distinguishing morphological features, general distribution, checklist and key to species of Antocha Osten Sacken from Sichuan, China are provided.

A total of 38 Korean species of crane flies belonging to the genus Dicranomyia Stephens, 1829 (Diptera: Limoniidae: Limoniinae) are taxonomically revised. No species of Dicranomyia were previously reported from South Korea, and only twelve species were reported from North Korea. New records of Dicranomyia from the Korean Peninsula include: D. (Dicranomyia) depauperata Alexander, 1918, D. (D.) distendens pallida Savchenko, 1983, D. (D.) handlirschi handlirschi Lackschewitz, 1928, D. (D.) hyalinata (Zetterstedt, 1851), D. (D.) kandybinae Savchenko, 1987, D. (D.) longipennis (Schummel, 1829), D. (D.) mesosternatoides Alexander, 1924, D. (D.) modesta (Meigen, 1818), D. (D.) pammelas Alexander, 1925, D. (D.) poli (Alexander, 1941), D. (D.) sera (Walker, 1848), D. (D.) shinanoensis (Alexander, 1933), D. (D.) takeuchii Alexander, 1922, D. (D.) unispinosa Alexander, 1921, D. (Erostrata) globithorax Osten Sacken, 1869, D. (E.) globulithorax Alexander, 1924, D. (E.) yazuensis Kato et al., 2018, D. (Glochina) basifusca Alexander, 1919, D. (Melanolimonia) paramorio platysoma (Alexander, 1933), D. (Numantia) fusca (Meigen, 1804), D. (Sivalimnobia) euphileta (Alexander, 1924). Species D. (D.) byuni Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) cornuta Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) jirisana Podenas, sp. nov., D. (D.) petrasiuni Podenas, sp. nov., and D. (D.) yankovskyi Podenas, sp. nov. are described. An additional ten new records are reported from North Korea, bringing the total number of Dicranomyia species known from North Korea to 22 species. South Korea has a greater diversity of Dicranomyia with total number of 30 species. D. (D.) amurensis Alexander, 1925 is synonymised with D. (D.) hyalinata (Zetterstedt, 1851). An illustrated key with redescriptions and photographs of all species and both sexes of adults collected in Korea are presented. Most females are illustrated or described for the first time. Elevation range, period of activity, habitat information, general distribution and a distribution map in Korean Peninsula is given for each species.

Five species of Limoniinae (Diptera, Limoniidae) crane flies from the Korean Peninsula are reviewed. A new species Antocha (Antocha) yeongwola is described. Achyrolimonia monacantha (Alexander, 1924) and Antocha (Antocha) satsuma Alexander, 1919 are new records for the Korean Peninsula; Antocha (Antocha) dilatata Alexander, 1924 and Dicranoptycha diacantha Alexander, 1938 are new records for South Korea; females of Achyrolimonia monacantha and Antocha dilatata are described and illustrated for the first time. The check lists, identification keys for all species of Achyrolimonia Alexander, 1965 and Antocha Osten Sacken, 1860 from the Korean Peninsula are given. Redescriptions and illustrations of both sexes of these species are presented.

Helius alavensis sp. nov., one of the oldest representative of the genus Helius Lepeletier and Serville, 1828 (Diptera: Limoniidae), is described from the Alava amber (Lower Cretaceous, upper Albian), northern Spain. This is the first representative of the subfamily Limoniinae and of the genus Helius described from this fossil resin.

A new species of Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken, 1860, Dicranoptycha plicativa sp. nov., and a unassigned species are illustrated and described from Myanmar (Burmese) amber (lowermost Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous). A complete list of fossil species of the genus Dicranoptycha is summarized. In addition, an updated key to the known fossil species of the Dicranoptycha is provided.

The Korean species of Libnotes (Laosa) Edwards, 1926 and L. (Libnotes) Westwood, 1876 from Jeju Island are taxonomically revised. L. (Laosa) charmosyne (Alexander, 1958) and L. (Libnotes) divaricata (Alexander, 1924) are new records for South Korea and L. (Libnotes) byersiana n. sp. is described. An identification key for all Korean Libnotes, redescriptions and illustrations of the three currently known Jeju species are presented.

The Korean species of Limonia Meigen, 1803 crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) are taxonomically revised. Species L. annulata Lackschewitz, 1940 (Lackschewitz, Pagast, 1940), L. bidens Savchenko, 1979, L. episema Alexander, 1924, L. fusciceps fusciceps Alexander, 1924, L. juvenca Alexander, 1935, L. messaurea messaurea Mendl, 1971, L. nemoralis Savchenko, 1983 are new records for the Korean peninsula and L. pia n. sp. is described. Synonymy of L. venerabilis Alexander, 1938 with L. macrostigma (Schummel, 1829) is confirmed. L. tanakai (Alexander, 1921) is not confirmed for the Korean Peninsula. An identification key, redescriptions and illustrations of all species and both sexes of adults, if they were found in Korea, are presented. Descriptions, illustrations and habitat characteristics are given for the previously unknown larva and pupa of L. parvipennis Alexander, 1940. Distinguishing morphological characters of the last instar larvae of Korean Limonia are discussed. Keys to the known Korean Limonia larvae and pupae are compiled.

A taxonomic review of Limoniinae (Diptera, Limoniidae) known from Eocene Baltic amber with particular references to the following genera is presented: Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken, 1860, Limonia Meigen, 1803, Lipsothrix Loew, 1873, Rhipidia Meigen, 1818, Thaumastoptera Mik, 1866, Toxorhina Loew, 1850, Trentepohlia Bigot, 1854. A new genus, Antohelia gen. nov., and two new species, Antohelia stanislawi sp. nov., Trentepohlia (Trentepohlia) bajdai sp. nov. are described. The phylogenetic relationships of the Limoniinae known from Eocene Baltic are discussed based on the results of a newly performed cladistic analysis. The illustrated key for the genera of subfamily Limoniinae recorded from the Baltic amber inclusions is provided

A new species of Dicranoptycha from Burmese amber (lowermost Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous) is described, Dicranoptycha burmitica sp. nov. The morphology comparison with their closest recent and fossil relatives is provided. The distribution of fossil representatives of Dicranoptycha is presented and their morphological traits discussed.

Descriptions, illustrations and habitat characteristics are given for the previously unknown larvae and pupae of the East Palaearctic monotypic aquatic crane fly genus Limnorimarga Alexander, 1945 collected from Korea in hygropetric habitats. Diagnostic features and phylogenetic relationships are discussed.

Korean species of Achyrolimonia, Dicranoptycha and Helius crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) are taxonomically revised. Identification keys, redescriptions and illustrations of all species and both sexes, if they were found in Korea, are presented. Genus Achyrolimonia is new record for the Korean peninsula, genera Dicranoptycha and Helius are new records for South Korea, species Helius (Helius) obliteratus (Alexander, 1920) is new record for the Korean peninsula and new record for the continent. Illustrations of females of D. diacantha Alexander, 1938 and H. gracillimus Alexander, 1938 are provided and female of D. prolongata Alexander, 1938 is described and illustrated for the first time.

A revision of the genus Dicranomyia Stephens, 1829 (Diptera: Limoniidae) from Baltic amber (Eocene) is presented. Redescriptions of nine species of this genus from Baltic amber are given and documented with photographs and drawings. Four novel species of the genus Dicranomyia from Baltic amber are described. The newly described species among the subgenus Dicranomyia are: Dicranomyia (D.) baltica sp. nov., Dicranomyia (D.) ewa sp. nov., and Dicranomyia (D.) succinica sp. nov. One new species belongs to the subgenus Melanolimonia Alexander, 1965, Dicranomyia (Melanolimonia) krzeminskii sp. nov., as the first representative of this subgenus in Baltic amber. The male of Dicranomyia (D.) graciosa is found and described. A cladistic analysis of species belonging to the genus Dicranomyia from Baltic amber based on 37 morphological characters and 14 species is given. A key to species of Dicranomyia from Baltic amber is provided. The ecological pattern and biogeographical and evolutionary aspects of Dicranomyia are discussed. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London

A new Neotropical species of Trentepohlia (Mongoma) is described from Cuba. This is the first species of the subgenus from the West Indies, whereas the other four Trentepohlia spp. are from the subgenus Paramongoma. Notes on the phenology of this new species are provided. Also, we discuss the transfer of Trentepohlia suberrans Alexander, 1979 to Mongoma and provide a key for the identification of the three species of this subgenus present in the Neotropics.

The list of Lithuanian crane flies and winter flies, whose larvae were found developing in fungi, is given. The list of fungi, in which larvae of crane and winter flies develop, is compiled in Lithuania for the first time. For the first time were larvae of Metalimnobia bifasciata (Schrank, 1781) reared from seven species of fungi and Ula bolitophila Loew, 1869 was first reared from one fungus species. This study revealed one new for Lithuania species of crane flies – Ula mixta Stary, 1983. In addition, for the first time a trophic relationship between this species of crane flies and fungi was revealed.