Empis (Empis) nigropilosa Collin

(Figs 9–11)

Collin, 1937: 142, fig. 3. Type locality: “ Syria ”.

Other references: Chvála & Wagner, 1989: 267 (catalogue); Pont, 1995: 117 (type data); Yang et al., 2007: 104 (catalogue).

Note on the type-series. Pont (1995) noted that the holotype of E. nigropilosa has no label data.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE, ♂ (Fig. 9), labelled (Fig. 10): “[no data]”; “pale purple disc”; “[cel- luloid slip with dissected terminalia in Canada balsam]”; “ Empis / nigropilosa Collin / TYPE ♂. [hand-written by Collin]”; “VC-TYPE 557/ Empis ♂ / nigropilosa/ Collin”; “ Holotypus / Empis / nigropilosa Collin, 1937 [our red label]” (OUMNH).

Remarks. Empis nigropilosa appears to be a doubtful species. It is very similar to E. hirta Loew described from Georgia (Loew 1865; Syrovátka 1991). Empis hirta is widely distributed in the Caucasus and locally quite common occurring over a broad range of altitudes from submontane area closer the shores of the Black Sea up to 1600 m (Kustov & Shamshev 2014). Syrovátka (1991) re-described E. hirta and designated the lectotype, but he compared this species only with E. pilosa Loew. Unfortunately, Syrovátka (1991) omitted in his re-descriptions of Empis s. str. characters such as the setosity of the prosternum. Empis hirta has the prosternum setose. The male terminalia of E. hirta and E. nigropilosa appear identical (e.g., Collin 1960: 142, fig. 3; Syrovátka 1991: 255, fig. 10A; Kustov & Shamshev 2014: 181, fig. 10) and the majority of other external characters match. However, E. nigropilosa differs from E. hirta by the bare prosternum (vs. setose), four scutellar setae (vs. 6–12), somewhat sparser and longer anteroventral setae on the hind femur and faintly infuscate wing (vs. brownish).

It should be noted that some characters of E. hirta are very variable, e.g., body size (4.5–5.6 mm, the lecto-type— 5.6 mm); number of notopleural setae (3–5, usually 3–4, in the lectotype 4); number and robustness of scutellar setae (6–12, when 6 or 8 then 4 usually stronger); prosternum sometimes only with 1–3 setae on each side.

I provisionally retain E. nigropilosa as a separate species until additional material becomes available from that region.

Distribution. Palaearctic: Syria.