Paradelia brunneonigra

12. Paradelia brunneonigra (Schnabl in Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911)

Figs. 65–68.

Pegomyia (Anthomyia) brunneonigra Schnabl in Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911: 271, plate figs. 291–292, 800.

Pseudonupedia brunneonigra (Schnabl); Ringdahl 1959: 293, fig. 105; Hennig 1972: 435, plate figs. 685, 701, 709; Suwa 1974: 168, figs. 458–462.

Paradelia (Paradelia) brunneonigra (Schnabl); Griffiths 1987: 781, figs. 936–937, 940–942. For further references see Hennig (1972: 435) and Griffiths (1987: 781).

Taxonomic remarks. Schnabl in Schnabl & Dziedzicki (1911) described brunneonigra from one male and one female collected in Poland: Ż wir (Warsaw area) 5 May 1909 on flowering Salix caprea. The syntypes were probably lost during WW2, yet the excellent original illustrations of the male terminalia, including a photomicrograph of sternite V, leave no doubt about the identity of the male syntype.

The small, dark-coloured male is easily confused with the common P. intersecta but unmistakable by the shape of posterior lobes of sternite V. The female was previously unrecognized, but a reliable difference from the otherwise very similar female of P. intersecta may be seen in the narrower parafacials, a character that also applies to males.

Description. Small (WL 3.4–4.3mm; n=29), overall very reminiscent of P. intersecta but differing as follows:

Male. Parafacial linear, distinctly narrower than basal width of fore tibia. Pair of interfrontal setulae normally absent. Sternite V (Figs. 65, 66) very different: long upraised posterior lobes with bare angular lamella strongly expanded meso-distally but apically not extended beyond articulation of digitiform appendage. Hypopygium (Figs. 67, 68): cerci less convex and surstyli less subapically expanded in lateral aspect.

Female. Body covered in darker grey dusting that becomes olive grey on dorsum of thorax and abdomen. Parafacial narrower, in middle barely as wide as basal width of fore tibia.

Material examined. CZECH REPUBLIC [ZMUC, leg. M. Barták]: Central Bohemia: Praha-Hološovice, 200m, river bank, 1 female 29.ix.1984; South Bohemia: Šumava-Šmauzy, 960m, damp meadow, 1 male 20.viii.1989, Šumava, Malá Niva, 780m, peat-bog, 1 female 5.vii.1988, Vimperk–H. Kvilda, car net, 1 male 21.vii.1992, Vrá Ž u Písku, 400m, damp meadow, 1 male 31.v.1994, Prášily, K ř emelná, 810m, brook, 1 male, 8.vii.1994. DENMARK [ZMUC]: NW Zealand: Copenhagen: Utterslev Mose, 1 male 9.v.1994 (V. Michelsen), Gentofte Sø, 1 male 10.viii.1999 (V. Michelsen). FINLAND [FMNH, ZMUC]: Karelia australis: Vehkalahti, 1 male 4.vi.1972 (L. Tiensuu); Tavastia australis: Hyvinkää, 1 female 24.vii.1972 (O. Martin); Tavastia borealis: Soini, 2 males, 1 female, 30.vii.1982 (O. Martin), Karelia borealis: Joensuu, 1 female 8.viii.1982 (O. Martin). GREECE [ZMUC]: Macedonia /Thessaly: Mt. Olympus, 2 males 21–26.v.1990 (V. Michelsen). SPAIN [ZMUC]: Gerona: Caralps, 1200m, 1 male 13-16.vi.1982 (V. Michelsen). RUSSIA [FMNH]: Regio viburgensis: Terijoki [= Zelenogorsk], 1 male 13.vi.1939 (L. Tiensuu); Karelia rossica: Kolatselkä, 1 male 13.vi.1943 (L. Tiensuu). SWEDEN [MZLU, ZMUC]: Skåne: Åsljunga, 1 male 1.viii.1931 (O. Ringdahl), Åbrolla, Osby, 1 male 11.vii.2003, 1 female 6.vii.2006, 1 male 27.vii.2006 (V. Michelsen); Småland: NW of Lake Bolmen, 1 male 18-19.v.1991, 1 female 20-22.v.1993, 1 male 26.v.2001 (V. Michelsen), Store Mosse, 1 male 27.v.2001 (V. Michelsen); Värmland: Ekshärad, 1 male 19.vii.1960 (W.R.M. Mason); Dalarna: Leksand, Sångån, 1 male, 1 female 10.vii.1973 (T. Tjeder); Norrbotten: Pajala, Kengisfors, 1 female 12.vii.1957 (K. Ander & al.).

Additional, tentatively identified females: INDIA [ZMUC]: Kashmir: Gulmarg, 2600–3000m, 6 females 17.viii–5.ix.1978 (V. Michelsen).

Distribution. Apparently a widespread species in the boreal and elevated parts of the Holarctic Region, but easily confused with the common P. intersecta occurring in the same areas. It is known with certainty from Europe (Michelsen 2004), Japan (Suwa 1974) and North America (Griffiths 1987), but some females agreeing well with P. brunneonigra have presently been seen from Kashmir (India) at the northern border of the Oriental Region.