Sciara nursei, FREEMAN, 1983 RESTIT.

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 : 134-135

SCIARA NURSEI FREEMAN, 1983 RESTIT.

Synonyms: marginata Mohrig & Krivosheina, 1983 [preocc.]; ulrichi Menzel & Mohrig, 1998 syn. nov.

Literature: Freeman (1983a): 161; Freeman (1983b): 18; Laurence (1994): 118 [all as Sciara nursei ]; Menzel (1998): 22; Menzel & Mohrig (2000): 523 [all as Sciara ulrichi and Sciara flavomarginata , misidentification and incorrectly synomymized from Sciara nursei to Sciara flavomarginata ]; Chandler et al. (2002): 124 [ Sciara ulrichi ].

Material examined: Burnham Beeches , Buckinghamshire, 2 males, 1 female, 21.vi.−5.vii.1995; 4 males, 20.vii.−2.viii.1995; 11 males, 2.viii.−16.viii.1995, all Ismay leg. ( PPCM) . Cambridge , Cambridgeshire, 1 female, 4.vii.1903; 1 female, 13.viii.1903, all Jenkinson leg. [paratypes of Sciara nursei ] ( BMNH) . Catfield , Norfolk, 3 males, 29.ix.−12.x.1988, Foster & Procter leg. ( PBLN) . Colt Park Wood , North Yorkshire, 1 male, 27.viii.−30.viii.1981, Disney leg. ( PPWM) . Daneway , Gloucestershire, 1 male, 12.x.1979, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Epping Forest , Essex, 1 male, 27.vi.2000, J.H. Cole leg. ( PJCB) . Lea Meadows, Newtown Linford , Leicestershire, 2 males, 24.viii.2003, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Letchworth , Hertfordshire, 2 females, vi.-vii.1936, Edwards leg. [paratypes of Sciara nursei ] ( BMNH) . Moy, Tyrone , 2 males, 24.ix.− 30.ix.1984, Boston leg. ( PPCM) . Reedham , Norfolk, 1 male, 26.viii.−27.x.1988, Foster & Procter leg. ( PBLN) . Ryton Wood, Bubbenhall, Coventry, West Midlands , 1 male, 25.viii.2002, J.E. Smith leg. ( HRI) . Sea Mere , Norfolk, 2 males, 6.vii.−2.ix.1988, Foster & Procter leg. ( PBLN) . Seaford , East Sussex, 2 males, vi.1934 (reared), Basden leg. [paratypes of Sciara nursei ] ( BMNH) . St. Mary’s Nature Reserve, East Ham, Greater London , 1 male, 15.vii.−21.vii.1987, C.W. Plant leg. ( PPCM) . Tunbridge Wells , Kent, 1 male, vii.1922, Nurse leg. [holotype of Sciara nursei ] ( BMNH) . Turville Heath , Buckinghamshire, 4 males, 20.vii.2002, Chandler leg. ( PPCM) . Wheatfen Broad , Norfolk, 1 male, 13.vii.1986, Withers leg. ( PPWM) . Woodwalton Fen , Cambridgeshire, 1 male, vi.1939, Coe leg. ( BMNH) .

Ecological notes: common in broad-leaved, mixed and carr woodland; wetlands including fens, sedge beds and wet meadows. Reared from nest of meadow pipit. vi–x.

Taxonomic note: After studying the original descriptions by Freeman and Mohrig et al., the name ‘ nursei Freeman, 1983 ’ was placed as a synonym of Sciara flavomarginata Mohrig & Mamaev, 1982 , in the recent revision of Palaearctic Sciaridae ( Menzel & Mohrig, 2000) . This synonymy was based among other things on the illustrations by Freeman, which were prepared from the single preserved gonostyle on the hypopygium of the holotype [compare Freeman (1983a): fig. 1; Freeman (1983b): fig. 11]. In these figures, Freeman showed 6 strong, subapical spines on the inner side of the gonostyle, which are stated to be arranged in a row. However, re-examination of the holotype has shown that the position of the spines is the result of the way in which the gonostyle was mounted on the slide, and it is clear that the spines are not all in one plane. Furthermore, Freeman has drawn 2 very fine spinose bristles at the apex of the gonostyle that are not actually developed in this form [there is only one short, strong ventral spine, which is placed on the distinctly demarcated tip of the gonostyle]. This taxonomic conclusion has widespread nomenclatural ramifications. All specimens with the character combination of ‘inner surface of gonostyle with subapical lobe-like swelling bearing 4–6 subequal, similarly strong and relatively closely grouped spines; ventral apex of the gonostyle with 1–2 distinctly shorter spines among the covering of hairs; anal area of the wing membrane [below CuA 2] without or with only very few macrotrichia; mesonotum dark brown to black, at most paler dark yellow at base’ belong to a relatively small Sciara species with the name-complex ‘ marginata – nursei – ulrichi ’. The oldest name ‘ marginata Mohrig & Krivosheina, 1983 ’ is a junior primary homonym and is therefore not available. Consequently, the name ‘ Sciara nursei Freeman, 1983 ’ is the valid name for this species, and the later name ‘ ulrichi Menzel & Mohrig, 1998 ’ must be placed in synonymy with it.

Only the holotype of Sciara flavomarginata Mohrig & Mamaev from the Far East of Russia is known. It is characterized by a distinctly longer body length, a denser covering of macrotrichia on the anal area of the wing membrane, and a large area of yellow laterally on the mesonotum [as well as 2 paler lateral bands]. Moreover, Sciara flavomarginata has no lobe-like swelling on the ventral inner surface of the gonostyle and no spine on its apex. By contrast with Sciara nursei , there are 7–8 spines that are arranged in a strict row in the upper third of the gonostyle and are of different lengths, distinctly increasing in length and strength from above to below.