Pilaria melanota Alexander, 1922

Podenas, Sigitas & Byun, Sun-Jae Park and Hye-Woo, 2022, New record of Pilaria crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 11 (1), pp. 38-46 : 41-42

Pilaria melanota Alexander, 1922

Pilaria melanota Alexander, 1922: 185 ; Savchenko, 1989: 111.

Limnophila (Pilaria) melanota Edwards, 1926: 269 (identification not certain).

Pilaria tokionis melanota Savchenko, Krivolutskaya, 1976: 71 .

General: Body coloration polished dark brown to black dorsally, light brown to yellowish laterally and ventrally. Body length of male 4.7-8.2 mm, of female 7.0- 11.5 mm. Wing length of male 6.3-9.2 mm, of female 6.2-10.7 mm.

Head: Semi-polished dark brown to black, sparsely dusted with gray, denser along eye margin, sparsely covered with dark brown setae. Eyes widely separated in both sexes, distance between eyes in male and female approximately equals to the length of both basal antennomeres taken together. Antenna ( Fig. 1A ) 3.2-4.7 mm long in male, 2.1-2.7 mm in female, reaching nearly to the middle of abdomen in male, but just to the base of abdomen in female if bent backwards. Scape elongate, light brown, darker dorsally. Pedicel subequal to the scape, brown to dark brown with light brown base. Flagellum dark brown, just base of first flagellomere narrowly pale, bases of second and third flagellomeres indistinctly paler. Flagellomeres elongate, subcylindrical, apical flagellomere very short, much smaller than preceding. All flagellomeres covered with erect dense whitish pubescence, that is approximately twice as long as width of segment. Single long seta present distally on dorsal surface of some flagellomeres, but usually missing, length of seta approximately equals half the length of respective segment or slightly exceeds that in male. Female flagellum with long verticils, longest verticils 1.5 times exceeding length of respective segments. Rostrum brown, paler ventrally, mouth parts darker brown. Palpus dark brown, setose.

Thorax: Cervical sclerites grayish dark brown. Thorax polished, dark brown to black dorsally, brownish yellow laterally and ventrally. Pronotum brownish yellow. Prescutum and presutural scutum polished dark brown to black dorsally, without longitudinal stripes, brownish along lateral margin. Tubercular pits small and close to each other at the frontal margin of sclerite, pseudosutural fovea distinct, surrounded by yellowish area. Postsutural scutum with each lobe polished dark brown to black, area between lobes brownish yellow. Scutellum dark brown, yellowish fronto-medially. Mediotergite dark brown, sparsely dusted with gray. Pleuron obscure yellow to brownish yellow dorsally, getting paler ventrally, setoseless. Wing ( Fig. 1B ) iridescent, translucent, with brownish tinge, yellowish at base, without any darker spots except stigma, which is indistinct, elongate, brownish and setose. Veins brown, pale at wing base. Venation: Sc long, reaching wing margin slightly before branching point of Rs, sc-r beyond tip of Sc, oblique. Rs long, angulate and short spurred at base. Free end of R 1 elongate, R 2 close to branching point of R 3 and R 4. R 3 and R 4 diverging towards wing margin, R 4 and R 5 parallel to each other. Cell r 3 with long stem which approximately equals to the free end of R 3. Discal cell elongate, 1.5 times as long as wide. Stem of cell m 1 longer than cell itself. Cross-vein m-cu at about two-thirds of discal cell length. CuA arched before wing margin, CuP nearly straight for the entire length, just slightly arched at wing margin, anal vein slightly sinuous. Anal angle long and narrow. Calypter with few long setae. Length of male halter 1.0- 1.4 mm, of female 1.0- 1.5 mm. Stem of halter pale, yellowish at base, knob dark brown. Coxae pale yellow, just fore coxa brownish frontally. Meron small, thus second and third pairs of coxae close to each other. Trochanters obscure yellow. Fore and middle femora dark brown with narrowly pale base, hind femur brown with narrowly dark brown apex and pale base. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown. Male femur I: 4.0- 6.2 mm long, II: 5.4-6.5 mm, III: 5.0- 7.2 mm, tibia I: 5.2-7.7 mm, II: 5.8-7.0 mm, III: 5.5-8.0 mm, tarsus I: 5.2-6.8 mm, II: 4.3-6.5 mm, III: 3.5-4.6 mm. Female femur I: 3.8-6.1 mm long, II: 4.1-6.8 mm, III: 5.0- 7.8 mm, tibia I: 4.5-7.8 mm, II: 5.8-7.7 mm, III: 5.4-8.2 mm, tarsus I: 4.7-7.5 mm, II: 4.2-6.2 mm, III: 3.8-5.2 mm. Claw simple, without spines. Arolium reaching to about middle of claw.

Abdomen: Tergites dark brown with grayish posterior margin, covered with sparse erect yellowish setae, sternites yellow, pregenital sternite brownish. Male terminalia ( Fig. 1C ) yellow with dark brown ninth tergite. Posterior margin of ninth tergite setose, slightly extended posteriorly with shallow wide central emargination between two wide low lobes. Gonocoxite elongate, three times as long as width at base, simple, without additional lobes. Outer gonostylus long, narrow, slightly arched with spine-shaped curved apex and small serration distally along slightly inflated mesal margin. Inner gonostylus fleshy and setose, slightly longer than outer gonostylus, wider at about onefourth from base, narrower towards apex which is armed with single acute apical denticle. Interbase with long narrow, blunt-apexed distal arm and strongly arched basal branch articulating with gonocoxite apodeme. Parameres membranuous, uniform. Aedeagus very long, narrows towards distal end, which is slightly curved downwards ( Fig. 1D, 1E ). Aedeagal sheath slightly expanded basally, narrowing towards apex. Seminal vesicle small. Ovipositor ( Fig. 1F ) brown, just tip of cercus paler. Cercus long and narrow, distal part raised upwards. Hypovalva straight, narrowing towards apex, reaching to about two-thirds of cercus, inner surface in distal half covered with long filaments.

Elevation range in Korea: Altitudes from sea level to slightly above 1,100 m.

Period of activity in Korea: Adults are active and flying from late April through late August.

Habitats: Slopes to mountainous rivers and streams covered with dense mixed forest, deciduous shrubs, some muddy areas along margins, rocks covered with wet mosses along springs falling into the river, sparse grassy vegetation along margins, some areas densely covered with dwarf bamboo Sasa borealis (Hack.) groves. Females are coming to light only in rare occasions.

General distribution: Japanese islands Honshu and Shikoku, Sakhalin Island of the Far East of Russia, records from Borneo and Sarawak, Malaysia need confirmation. Recorded from Korean Peninsula for the first time.

Examined material ( Fig. 3A ): 1 male, 1 female (pinned), North Korea, Seren , alt. 1,000-2,500 ft. [305-762 m], 1938.08.7 -8, A. M. Yankovsky ( USNM) ; 2 males, 1 female (pinned), North Korea, Seren , alt. 1,500-2,000 ft. [457-610 m], 1938.08.14 -15, A. M. Yankovsky ( USNM) ; 3 males, 1 female (pinned), North Korea, Seren , alt. 2,000 ft. [610 m], 1938.08.17 -18, A. M. Yankovsky ( USNM) ; 2 males (pinned), North Korea, Seren , alt. 2,000-2,500 ft. [610-762 m], 1938.08.21 -22, A. M. Yankovsky ( USNM) ; 1 female (pinned), S. Korea, #6, 6 mi. E of Seoul , 1954. 05.20, G. W. Byers ( USNM) ; 6 females (pinned), S. Korea, #6, Hwy. #13, 6 mi. E of Seoul, 1 mi. W. Han River , alt. 150 ft. [46 m], 1954.05.20, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male, 2 females (pinned), S. Korea, #10, Hwy. #13, 6 mi. E of Seoul, 1 mi. W. Han River , alt. 150 ft. [46 m], 1954.06.03, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male (pinned), Korea, #14, Ohori , east coast, alt. 10-15 ft. [3-5 m], 128°30′E, 38°20′N, 1954.06.11, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male (pinned), Korea, #17, Central National Forest , 18 mi. NE Seoul, alt. 350- 500 ft. [107-152 m], 1954.06.20, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male (pinned), Korea, #23, Central National Forest , 18 mi. NE Seoul, alt. 350 ft. [107 m], 1954.07.27, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male (pinned), Korea, #26, Central National Forest , 18 mi. NE Seoul, alt. 350 ft. [107 m], 1954.08.14, G. W. Byers ( SMEK) ; 1 male (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.26590, E 127.58096, alt. 446 m, 2014. 08.24 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.25257, E 127.58981, alt. 304 m, 2015.04.28 (2), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 female (pinned), S. Korea, Jirisan National Park, Piagol Valley , N 35.25825, E 127.58208, alt. 310 m, 2015.05.02 (2), S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 female (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.26590, E 127.58096, alt. 446 m, 2015.06.26, coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 female (pinned), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol valley , N 35.27177, E 127.57146, alt. 490 m, 2015.06.27 (1), S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 2 females (pinned), 4 males, 4 females (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27177, E 127.57146, alt. 490 m, 2015.06.28 (2), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 2 females (pinned), 2 males, 2 females (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27177, E 127.57146, alt. 490 m, 2015.06.29 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male (pinned), 2 males, 2 females (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27448, E 127.56378, alt. 593 m, 2015.07.01 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 3 males (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.26586, E 127.58090, alt. 448 m, 2015.07.02 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27177, E 127.57146, alt. 490 m, 2015.07.03 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male, 1 female (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27177, E 127.57146, alt. 490 m, 2016. 06.03 (2), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male, 1 female (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27333, E 127.56924, alt. 546 m, 2016.06.03 (3), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 female (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.26586, E 127.58090, alt. 448 m, 2016.06.03 (4), coll. S. Podenas, at light ( NIBR) ; 4 females (pinned), 1 male, 1 female (in ethanol, antennae and wing of male slide-mounted in Euparol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon , Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27333, E 127.56924, alt. 546 m, 2016.06.04 (3), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 2 males, 1 female (pinned), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.26586, E 127.58093, alt. 414 m, 2016. 06.24 (1), S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 male, 2 females (pinned), 1 male, 3 females (in ethanol), S. Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Gunpo-si, Suri-dong , N 37.35022, E 126.91527, alt. 138 m, 2017.05.27 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 1 female (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeju-do, Seogwipo-si, Saekdal-dong , N 33.36044, E 126.46275, alt. 1,103 m, 2019.06.19 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) ; 3 males, 3 females (in ethanol), S. Korea, Jeollanam-do, Gurye-gun, Toji-myeon, Naeseo-ri , Piagol Valley , N 35.27333, E 127.56924, alt. 546 m, 2019. 06.25 (1), coll. S. Podenas ( NIBR) .

Figures

Fig. 1. Pilaria melanota Alexander, 1922. A. male antenna. B. fe- male wing. C. male genitalia, dorsal view. D. aedeagal complex, in ETOH, lateral view. E. aedeagal complex, slide-mounted, lateral view. F. ovipositor, lateral view. Scale bars 0.5 mm (A-C, F), 0.1 mm (D, E).Abbreviations: A1 - first branch of anal vein; aed -aedeagus; aed sh - aedeagal sheath; an lb - anal lobe; bm - basal medial cell; C - costal vein; cerc - cercus; CuA - anterior branch of cubital vein; CuP- posterior branch of cubital vein; dm -discal medial cell; goncx - gonocoxite; h - humeral vein; hyp vlv - hypogynial valve; ib - interbase; i gonst - inner gonostylus; M - medial vein, or media; M1 - first branch of media; M2 - second branch of media; M3 - third branch of media; M4 -fourth branch of media; m-cu- medial-cubital crossvein; m-m - medial crossvein; o gonst - outer gonostylus; pm - paramere; R - radius, or radial vein; R1 - anterior branch of radius; R2 - second branch of radius; R3 -lower branch of second branch of radius; R4 -upper branch of third branch of radius; R5 -lower branch of third branch of radius; Rs -radial sector; Sc -subcostal vein; sc-r- subcostal-radial crossvein; st -sternite; tg -tergite.

Fig. 3. Distribution maps of Korean Pilaria. A. P. melanota. B. P. simulans.