Corynoptera recurvispina, FREEMAN, 1987

Menzel, Frank, Smith, Jane E. & Chandler, Peter J., 2006, The sciarid fauna of the British Isles (Diptera: Sciaridae), including descriptions of six new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 146 (1), pp. 1-147 : 80-81

CORYNOPTERA RECURVISPINA FREEMAN, 1987

Literature: Freeman (1983a): 164 [in part as Corynoptera coei , misidentification]; Freeman (1987): 200; Laurence (1994): 118; Laurence (1997a): 85; Menzel (1998): 21 [as Corynoptera recurvispina and Corynoptera dentiforceps ]; Menzel & Mohrig (2000): 196, 240 and 243 [as Corynoptera recurvispina , in part as Corynoptera dentiforceps and under Camptochaeta coei ].

New to Irish list.

Material examined: Alvecote Pools , Staffordshire, 1 male, 3 females, 13.x.2001, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Becky Woods, Manaton , Devon, 1 male, 23.vi.2002, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Bradfield Wood , Suffolk, 1 male, 6.vii.−11.vii.1990; 1 male, 23.v.−30.v.1991; 1 male, 16.viii.−22.viii.1991, all Laurence leg. ( PBLN) . Brampton , Cambridgeshire, 1 male, 23.v.1976, J.H. Cole leg. ( PJCB) . Brancaster , Norfolk, 1 male, 17.vi.− 11.vii.1988; 1 male, 2.ix.−16.ix.1988; 1 male, 16.ix.− 8.x.1988, all Foster & Procter leg. ( PBLN) . Brandon Marsh, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, West Midlands , 1 male, 11.x.2001; 15 females, 12.x.2001, all J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) ; 1 male, 3 females, 25.viii.2002, Menzel leg. ( DEI) . Burnham Beeches , Buckinghamshire, 1 male, 14.vi.−1.vii.1996; 1 male, 2.vii.− 5.viii.1996, all Ismay leg. ( PPCM) . Catfield , Norfolk, 1 male, 27.ix.−18.x.1988, Foster & Procter leg. ( PBLN) . Coombe Abbey Country Park , Coventry, Warwickshire, 2 males, 2 females, 28.viii.2003, Menzel & J.E. Smith leg. ( DEI, HRI) . Cothill , Oxfordshire, 2 males, 26.v.1936, Edwards leg. [paratypes of Corynoptera recuvispina ; 1 male also paratype of Corynoptera coei ] ( BMNH) . Dickleburgh , Norfolk, 2 males, 28.vii.− 5.viii.1989, Withers leg. ( PPWM) . Dinton Pastures Country Park, Berkshire , 1 male, 30.vii.1994; 1 male, 9.vi.1996, all Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Epping Forest , Essex, 1 male, 18.viii.1998, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) ; 3 males, vi.-viii.1999, Dagley leg. ( PPCM) . Ffrwd Fen, Carmarthen , 1 male, 3.x.1989, Holmes, Boyce & Reed leg. ( PPWM) ; 1 male, 13.x.1995, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Gearagh, Cork , 1 male, 11.v.1990, de Courcy Williams leg. ( NMID) . Kingsbury Water Park , Warwickshire, 1 male, 5 females, 13.x.2001, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Knebworth , Hertfordshire, 1 male, viii.1936, Edwards leg. [paratype of Corynoptera recurvispina ] ( BMNH) . Lackham Park , Wiltshire, 1 male, 20.ix.2002, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Lea Meadows, Newtown Linford , Leicestershire, 19 males, 31 females, 24.viii.2003, Menzel & J.E. Smith leg. ( DEI, HRI) . Llyn Ystumllyn , Gwynedd, 2 males, 5.x.1988, Holmes, Boyce & Reed leg. ( PPWM) . Lopham Fen , Norfolk, 1 male, 20.v.1990, Withers leg. ( PPWM) . Malham Tarn , North Yorkshire, 3 males, 24.vi.1982, Disney leg. ( PPWM) . Narborough Bog, Whetstone , Leicestershire, 3 males, 12 females, 24.viii.2003, Menzel & J.E. Smith leg. ( DEI, HRI) . Pant-y-Sais, Neath / Port Talbot , 1 male, 5.x.1989, Holmes, Boyce & Reed leg. ( PPWM) . Ryton Wood, Bubbenhall, Coventry, West Midlands , 19 males, 4 females, 25.viii.2002, Menzel & J.E. Smith leg. ( DEI, HRI) . Sedlescombe , East Sussex, 1 male, 17.v.1997, Roper leg. ( PPRS) . The Loke, Norwich , Norfolk, 1 male, 29.ix.−3.x.1992, Laurence leg. ( PBLN) . Tocil Wood, Warwick University Campus , Coventry, Warwickshire, 1 male, 1 female, 28.viii.2003, Menzel leg. ( DEI) . Tuddenham Fen , Suffolk, 2 males, 20.x.1990, Chandler leg. ( PPCM, PPWM) . Wayland Wood , Norfolk, 1 male, 13.x.2002, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Wemmergill Hall, Durham , 1 male, 25.vi.1981, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . West End Common, Esher , Surrey, 1 male, 17.vii.2002, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . West Harling Common , Norfolk, 2 males, 20.x.1990, Withers leg. ( PPWM) . Whichford Wood, Moreton-in-Marsh , Warwickshire, 1 male, 11.x.2001, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Whitacre Heath , Warwickshire, 2 males, 4 females, 13.x.2001, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Whitnash brook, Sydenham, Leamington Spa , Warwickshire, 1 female, 4.ix.2003, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Willes Meadow, Leamington Spa , Warwickshire, 19 males, 6 females, 27.viii.2002, Menzel & J.E. Smith leg. ( DEI, HRI) . Woodwalton Fen , Cambridgeshire, 12 males, 24.v.1940; 4 males, 7.vi.1940, all Edwards leg. [holotype and paratypes of Corynoptera recurvispina ] ( BMNH) . No locality details, England, 1 male, no date, Laurence leg. ( PBLN) .

Ecological notes: very common in broad-leaved and coniferous woodland; common in carr woodland; wet heathland; wetlands including water meadows, fens, reed and sedge beds, bogs, river banks and lake shores; grassland at woodland fringe; old sand and gravel workings; parkland; old hedges; gardens. v–x.

Taxonomic note: The type series of Corynoptera recurvispina Freeman comprises 19 males [holotype and 18 paratypes] ( Freeman, 1987). The total type material examined was [9 males complete on slides; 10 males pinned – of which 1 male also had a genitalia preparation (no. 121) and 3 males with separately mounted genitalia]. A check on the data shows that only 11 paratypes with the label ‘Hunts., Wood Walton, 24.v.1940, B.M.140–147’ and 2 males with ‘Berks., Cothill, 26.v.1936, B.M.136–336’ are available. This incorrect recording of the type data by Freeman is herein corrected.

All records of Corynoptera dentiforceps (Bukowski & Lengersdorf, 1936) from Great Britain to date were incorrectly identified [recte Corynoptera recurvispina Freeman, 1987 ]. The misidentifications are based on Menzel & Mohrig (2000) [in part], on small differences in the base of the genitalia as well as the shape of spines on the inner side of the gonostyles. There is, however, variation within species and a large part of the error is attributed to the preparation of the specimens (deformed and/or angled genitalia). After examination of about 350 specimens from the entire Palaearctic region (including the types of Corynoptera dentiforceps and Corynoptera recurvispina ), it was established that Corynoptera dentiforceps was, to date, only known from the Ukraine (holotype from the Crimea), Greece, Portugal and Spain. A redescription with figures of Corynoptera dentiforceps with a detailed comparison of species will be produced in another publication.