Mycetophila tomensis ( Plotnikova, 1962 )

Subbotina, Elena & Kurina, Olavi, 2012, Notes on the collection of fungus gnats left by the late Prof. Galina Petrovna Ostroverkhova with a new specific synonymy in the genus Mycetophila Meigen (Diptera: Mycetophilidae), Zootaxa 3590, pp. 86-88 : 87-88

Mycetophila tomensis ( Plotnikova, 1962) sp. restit.

Fig. 1 .

Fungivora tomensis Plotnikova, 1962: 892 –893; Mycetophila lenta Johannsen, 1912 : in Ostroverkhova 1979: 279, partim; Mycetophila estonica Kurina, 1992: 127 , syn. nov.

Type material. Lectotype (by present designation; in Fig. 1 indicated by red arrows). 3, RUSSIA, Tomsk Oblast [in UTR]. The middle specimen on slide No 215 that is equipped with handwritten labels by G.P. Ostroverkhova in black ink directly on glass as follows: “Преп. N 215” written vertically on left side (= Slide No 215); “Гр. 405” written horizontally on the upper margin of the right side (= fruit body No 405); “ Fungivora tomensis из рыжика. Томск обл. Сосн. VII. 1960 ” written horizontally on the right side (= Fungivora tomensis from Lactarius deliciosus . Tomsk Oblast. Pine forest. vii.1960). Paralectotypes. 2 3, same as lectotype, upper and lower specimen on slide No 215; 3 3, same as lectotype except ix.1960, slide No 171 [in UTR]. Holotype of M. estonica . 3, ESTONIA. Nigula NR, from Lactarius deterrimus collected 5.viii.1990, emerged 20.viii.1990. [on micropin, terminalia in glycerine in microvial, in IZBE]. Paratypes of M. estonica . 3, same as holotype; 3, ESTONIA, Saaremaa, Viidumäe NR, Audaku, from L. deterrimus collected 4.viii.1988, emerged 15.viii.1990; 4 3, ESTONIA, Island of Abruka, from Lactarius deterrimus collected 10.ix.1991, emerged 27–30.ix.1991 [all in IZBE].

Additional material studied. 3 ƤƤ, same as lectotype except ix.1960, slide No 170 [in UTR].

In 1962 G.P. Ostroverkhova published a paper with the description of 10 new species of Mycetophilidae reared from macrofungi collected in 1960 in the vicinity of Tomsk ( Plotnikova 1962). Fungivora tomensis (now in Mycetophila ), one of the species, was described from six male specimens reared from the fruit bodies of Lactarius deliciosus collected in July and September. There was neither a holotype designated nor any additional information on the type material provided, except for a general note that types of the described species were deposited at the Zoological Institute of the USSR Academy and the rest of the material in the author’s collection. However, when visiting the Zoological Institute in St. Petersburg in September 2012, the first author did not find any material described by Ostroverkhova. The collection of fungus gnats in Tomsk State University, on the other hand, contains 3 slides with 6 males and 3 females indicated as M. tomensis . The data on slides correspond exactly to these provided in the description (see Plotnikova 1962). Therefore, we are convinced that M. tomensis was described according to the named 6 male specimens on 2 slides (see Fig. 1 ). Subsequently, Ostroverkhova (1979) synonymised M. tomensis with M. lenta Johannsen, 1912 . Zaitzev (2003) questioned the synonymy, taking into account the opinion by Laštovka & Matile (1974) that M. lenta is actually conspecific with M. blanda Winnertz, 1863 . Our study of 15 slides with 37 male and 12 female specimens of M. lenta identified by Ostroverkhova confirmed the conspecificity of M. lenta with M. blanda ; while examination of the type material of M. tomensis revealed that it is separate from M. lenta but conspecific with Mycetophila estonica Kurina, 1992 . This possibility was also discussed by Zaitzev (2003) but as he could not study the type material and the figures of male terminalia in the original description of M. tomensis did not allow to draw any conclusion, the formal synonymy was not proposed. Mycetophila tomensis belongs to the M. signata species-group as stated by Zaitzev (1999) and, by the structure of male terminalia, is close to M. blanda and M. signatoides Dziedzicki, 1884 . The male terminalia of M. tomensis (see Fig. 1 C–E) have been figured in detail by Kurina (1992) and Zaitzev (1999, 2003). The species is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region ( Zaitzev 2003, Chandler 2011).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mycetophila tomensis (Plotnikova, 1962). A. Syntype material on slides, designated lectotype is indicated by red arrows: 1, wings; 2, body; 3, terminalia. B. Lectotype, closer view. C. Male terminalia, dorsal view, focused on dorsal lobe of gonostylus (dl gst). D. Male terminalia, ventral view, focused on ventral lobe of gonostylus (vl gst). E. Male terminalia, ventral view, focused on ventromedial appendage of gonocoxite (vma gc).