Rhamphomyia (Dasyrhamphomyia) erinacioides Malloch

Shamshev, Igor V., Sinclair, Bradley J. & Khruleva, Olga A., 2020, The empidoid flies (Diptera: Empidoidea, exclusive of Dolichopodidae) of the Russian Arctic islands and Svalbard Archipelago, Zootaxa 4848 (1), pp. 1-75 : 18

Rhamphomyia (Dasyrhamphomyia) erinacioides Malloch

( Fig. 11 )

Rhamphomyia erinacioides Malloch, 1919: 45 . Type-locality: Camden Bay, Alaska, USA.

Rhamphomyia (Rhamphomyia) erinacioides: Shamshev, 2016: 75 (checklist).

Rhamphomyia (Dasyrhamphomyia) erinacioides: Sinclair et al., 2019: 14 (type material, redescription, full list of references).

Material examined. RUSSIA. Archangelskeya Prov. (Novaya Zemlya Archipelago) : Beluzhya Bay, 5.vii.1904, Sokolovskij (3 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN); foot of Pila Mtn , Matochkin Shar , 9.viii.1901, Timofeev (1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN) . Yakutia ( New Siberian Islands ) : centre of Kotelny Island, upper flow of river Balykhtakh near mouth of river Tuguttakh , stream valley on flowers of Caltha , 15–16.vii.1973, KBG (34 ♂, 18 ♀, ZIN); same locality, arctic desert on flowers, 15.vii.1973, KBG (1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN). Chukotka AO ( Wrangel Island ) : middle flow of Neozhidannaya River , 71°01′N 179°09′E, BT 1 , YPT , 12–16.vii.2016, LFV (1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, BT 3 , YPT , 12–16.vii.2016, LFV (1 ♂, 8 ♀, ZIN); same locality, BT 4 , YPT , 12–16.vii.2016, LFV (4 ♀, ZIN); same locality, BT A, Sw , 8.vii.2019, OAK (1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, BT W, Sw , 8.vii.2019, OAK (1 ♂, ZIN); same locality, BT B, Sw , 8.vii.2019, OAK (1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, BT G, Sw, 8–9.vii.2019, OAK (3 ♀, ZIN); 2 km W Somnitelnaya Bay, spotted tundra, 9.vii.1972, KBG (3 ♂, 6 ♀, ZIN); Somnitelnaya Bay, on flowers of Dryas integrifolia , 21–26.vii.1966, KBG (12 ♂, 16 ♀, ZIN); near northern slope of Berri Peak , 6 km ESE Sovetskaya Mtn, 300 m, swamp on slope, 12.vii.1972, KBG (1 ♂, ZIN); Sovetskaya Mtn , snowfield near top, 1000 m, 14.vii.1972, KBG (1 ♀, ZIN); SE part of island, tundra, 2.viii.1931 & 26.vii.1933, А. Mineev (1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN); Rogers Bay , 20.vii.1932, А. Mineev (6 ♂, 4 ♀, ZIN); same locality, 19.vii.1972, KBG (1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, 70°59′N 178°29′W, BT 1 , YPT , 10–13.vii.2019, OAK (1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, Ushakovskoe vill., 70°59′N 178°30′W, BT A, YPT, 10–13.vii.2019, OAK (2 ♀, ZIN); environs of Tundrovaya Mtn , tundra and near stream, 18.vii.1972, KBG (2 ♂, 1 ♀, ZIN); same locality, 71°18.469′N 179°44.327′W, BT 3 , 5–15.vii.2018, U. V . Babiy (1 ♂, ZIN); same locality, 71°17.788′N 179°47.81′W, BT 5 , 15–26.vii.2018, U. V . Babiy (1 ♂, ZIN) . USA. Alaska: Barrow, ex. Dryas , 18–26.vii.1955, sweeping arctic tundra (13 ♂, 10 ♀, CNC); Inaru River , 25–28.vii.1956; ex. Polygonum and dandelion flowers (6 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC) .

Recognition. Mid-sized blackish species (wing length about 5 mm). Male ( Fig. 11 ) dichoptic, frons very broad; thorax black setose, scutum densely brownish pruinescent, without distinct vittae; all mesonotal setae fine, hair-like, long, presutural dc multiserial, acr 2–4-serial, at least 10 sctl; legs robust, entirely dark brown, all tibiae only pilose ventrally, hind femur without setae on about apical 3/4 ventrally, only pale pilose, hind tibia very slender; wing faintly infuscate, halter brown; cerci prolonged anteriorly, short, extended nearly to middle of tergite 5, epandrium brown. Female legs not pennate.

Distribution. Holarctic species widely distributed across extreme northern Russia, including Novaya Zemlya Islands, Taymyr Peninsula, New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. In North America, R. erinacioides is recorded on Barter Island in Camden Bay, Alaska, the nearby mainland coast ( Sinclair et al. 2019) and newly recorded here from the region surrounding Barrow.

Habitat. On Wrangel Island, in the 1960s and 70s this species was most numerous on the coastal Southern plane; in the mountains at around 1000 m. In the 2000s, the greatest abundance of this species was observed in areas with more severe climatic conditions; e.g., in the northern variant of the Arctic tundra subzone (Neozhidannaya River), where it was found in various habitats, including zonal spotted tundra. In the warmer central region of the island, only a single specimen was captured.

Figures

FIGURES 10–13. Rhamphomyia (Dasyrhamphomyia), male habitus, lateral view. 10. R. (D.) brusewitzii Holmgren; 11. R. (D.) erinacioides Malloch; 12. R. (D.) hovgaardii Holmgren; 13. R. (D.) nigrita (Zetterstedt).