(Figs 1–5)
Limnophora tundrae var. novaesibiriae Frey, 1915: 26. Type-locality: Russia: East Siberia: Novosibirskie Islands: Kotel’nyi Island.
Spilogona novaesibiriae (Frey); Hennig, 1959 b: 322; Pont, 1986: 171, 2004: 76; Sorokina, 2012 b: 331.
Limnophora obsoleta Malloch, 1920 a: 149. Type-locality: ‘West Coast of Greenland’. Syn. nov.
Melanochelia hirticauda Malloch, 1921: 181. Type-locality: Alaska: Pribilof Is. Synonymized with Limnophora obsoleta Malloch by Huckett (1932: 109) and Huckett (1965: 244).
Limnophora (Spilogona) obsoleta Malloch. Collin, 1930: 271; Huckett, 1932: 109.
Spilogona hirticauda (Malloch); Hennig, 1959 b: 302. Revived from synonymy with Limnophora obsoleta Malloch.
Spilogona obsoleta (Malloch); Huckett, 1965: 244; Pont, 1986: 171; Michelsen, 2006: 120.
Malloch (1920 a) described Limnophora obsoleta on specimens from the west coast of Greenland. It was subsequently recorded from the east coast of Greenland by Collin (1930), based on 1 male from Hekla Havn. Collin’s identification relied on descriptive notes on the male holotype supplied by H. C. Huckett and his own examination of male and female paratypes. Collin further had 1 male from Alaska with a somewhat different shape of the surstyli that he regarded as probably identical. The male holotype and female allotype of Limnophora obsoleta Malloch were also examined by Michelsen (2006).
Hennig (1959 b) pointed out that Spilogona obsoleta (Malloch) from Greenland appeared practically identical with S. novaesibiriae (Frey) described from Far East Russia, but treated them tentatively as separate species. This was in consequence of some apparent differences in shape of the male surstyli as also shown by Collin (1930). Comparisons by VS of the male terminalia of the holotype of Spilogona novaesibiriae with authentic Greenland specimens of Spilogona obsoleta and further material from arctic Canada (Hudson Bay) and Russia (Taimyr Peninsula) confirm that they all belong to the same species, and S. obsoleta (Malloch) is a new junior synonym of Spilogona novaesibiriae (Frey).
Malloch (1921) described Melanochelia hirticauda from St. Paul Island, Alaska. Huckett (1932) compared paratypes of Melanochelia hirticauda with the male holotype of Limnophora obsoleta and considered them identical species. Hennig (1959 b) resurrected Spilogona hirticauda (Malloch) as a possibly valid species occurring in Alaska and Far East Russia, but this was not followed by Huckett (1965) and Pont (1986). It is presently shown that Spilogona novaesibiriae has a circumpolar distribution and we support the view that S. hirticauda (Malloch) is a synonym of S. obsoleta (Malloch) and S. novaesibiriae (Frey).
Material examined. RUSSIA: Novosibirskie Islands, Kotel’nyi Island, male holotype of Limnophora tundrae var. novaesibiriae Frey, 10–25.vii. 1901, leg. Tol’ (ZISP). NW Taymyr Peninsula, 12.5 km S Dixon, 73 º 24 ’N 80 º 39 ’E, bank of Lemberova River, 3 males, 9, 26.vii. 2012, leg. A. Barkalov (SZMN). CANADA: Quebec: Inukjuak [Port Harrison], 2 males 2 females, 9.vii. 1949, leg. D. Willans (ZISP). GREENLAND, NW: Thule, 500m, 2 males 1 female vii. 1952, leg. C. Vibe (ZMUC). GREENLAND, N: Wullfs Land, 1 male 2 females ex larvae found vii. 1917, leg. P. Freuchen (ZMUC). Peary Land: 4 males 5 females Heilprin Land, 6–8.vii 1949, leg. P. Johnsen (ZMUC); Brønlund Fjord, 1 female reared from larva found 7.v. 1949, 1 female 2.vii. 1949, leg. P. Johnsen (ZMUC); Kap København, 23 males 36 females 4, 17.vii. 1986, leg. J. Böcher (ZMUC, SZMN). GREENLAND, NE: Hold with Hope, 1 female, 20.vii. 1891, leg. Deichmann (ZMUC); Sabine Ø, 2 males 1 female, vii. 1900, leg. Deichmann (ZMUC); Kap Borlase Warren, 1 female, 16.vii. 1900, leg. Deichmann (ZMUC); Germania Land, Sedimentkløft, 1 male 2.viii. 1989, leg. J. Böcher (ZMUC); Hochstetter Forland, Langelv, 2 females 15.viii. 1989, leg. J. Böcher (ZMUC); Ile de France, 1 male 1 female 29.vii. 1989, leg. R. Andersen (ZMUC); Zackenberg, 1 female 23–27.viii. 1995, leg. R. Rasmussen (ZMUC); Jameson Land: 1 male 1 female 20–28.vii. 2000, 6 females 22–27.vii. 2001, leg. H. Björnsson (ZMUC). GREENLAND, SE: Hekla Havn, 1 male, 30.vii. 1892, leg. Deichmann (ZMUC).
Distribution. Mainly high arctic: Greenland (NW, N, NE, SE), Russia (Taymyr Peninsula, Novosibirskie Islands), Alaska, Canada (Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nuvanut, Quebec).