Bradysia bishopi Steffan, 1973

Köhler, Arne & Menzel, Frank, 2013, New records of Black Fungus Gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) from New Caledonia, with the description of two new Bradysia species and an updated checklist, Zootaxa 3718 (1), pp. 63-72 : 68

Bradysia bishopi Steffan, 1973

Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA: Province South, Mt. Koghis, 17 km NNE of Noumeá, 13.XII.– 20.XII.1998, leg. N.J. Mary & M.E. Irwin (2♂, SDEI; 1♂, CSCA). PUERTO RICO: Rio Grande, El Yunque National Forest, El Verde Field Station, Quebrada Sonadora, 18°18’N 65°47’W, reared from root discs, 13.XII.2007, leg. F. Abbott (1♂, SDEI).

Remarks. A comparison of the New Caledonian specimen with material in the SDEI Diptera collection, collected from Seychelles, Thailand and Puerto Rico, showed that B. bishopi from New Caledonia lacks a distinct anal region and shows longer gonocoxites. Nevertheless the remaining characters of the hypopygium, especially the gonostylus, lead to this determination. Bradysia bishopi shows an interesting distribution. Except for two records from Thailand and Puerto Rico, it is at the moment restricted to islands in the Pacific region and the western Indian Ocean.

Distribution. Puerto Rico, Hawaiian Islands (Oahu), American Samoa (Tutuila), Western Samoa (Upolu, Savaii), French Polynesia (Tahiti, Marquesas Islands), Fiji (Vanua Levu), Seychelles (North Island, Silhouette), Thailand (Bangkok). New to New Caledonia and the Neotropical region.