Puncticorpus cribratum ( Villeneuve, 1918 )

Roháček, Jindřich, 2012, Wing polymorphism in European species of Sphaeroceridae (Diptera), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52 (2), pp. 535-558 : 547-548

6. Puncticorpus cribratum ( Villeneuve, 1918)

( Figs. 28–30 )

Material examined. More than 450 specimens (197 JJ 269 ♀♀, with 63 JJ 81 ♀♀ submacropterous to macropterous, rest more or less brachypterous) from G. Britain (England), Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus, Israel – localities listed by ROHÁČEK (1975 a, 1986, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2011), ROHÁČEK & MARSHALL (1982), PAPP & ROHÁČEK (1988) and ROHÁČEK et al. (2005). Additional localities: CZECH REPUBLIC: BOHEMIA: Vyšší Brod – Čertova stěna (J. Roháček leg.). SLOVAKIA: Malá Fatra – Šútovská dolina,

Muránská planina NP – Muránska Huta 1 km NW, Nová Sedlica – Zbojský potok (J. Roháček leg.). GREECE: PIERIA: Olympos Mts. – Karyá. CRETE: W. Crete: Prases 4 km SW, Prases 2 km W ; SW Crete: Samaria gorge NW part, Omalos 3 km SW (all J. Roháček leg.).

The remarkable variability of wing length of this species has been described by ROHÁČEK & MARSHALL (1982); formerly the species was thought to be short-winged. This species represents another example of dependence of the degree of wing reduction on the geographical latitude and consequently on climatic conditions. The populations from northern areas or from higher altitudes of Central Europe have more abbreviated wings ( Figs. 29, 30 ), while the submacropterous forms ( Fig. 28 ) prevail in warm lowlands of Hungary and the almost full-winged specimens are known from the Mediterranean countries, viz. Israel ( PAPP & ROHÁČEK 1988), Cyprus ( ROHÁČEK 2004) and mainland Greece and Crete (new material examined). The type of wing polymorphism in P. cribratum is unlike that of Pteremis fenestralis or Pullimosina meijerei because intermediate forms are common and hence strongly brachypterous and macropterous forms are not sharply separated. Puncticorpus cribratum is a terricolous species associated with decaying sporophores and mycelia of fungi in forest litter ( ROHÁČEK & MARSHALL 1982).

Figures

Figs. 28–30. Puncticorpus cribratum (Villeneuve, 1918), wings. 28 – submacropterous (Hungary: Síkfőkút); 29 – medium brachypterous, 30 – extremely brachypterous (both Slovakia: Vihorlat Mts.– Stakčín env.). Photo by J. Roháček.