Zootaxa 2318: 507–530 (2009) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2009 · Magnolia Press ISSN1175-5334(online edition) A review of the soldier flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) of Sardinia* FRANCO MASON1, RUDOLF ROZKOŠNÝ2 & MARTIN HAUSER3 1Centro Nazionale Biodiversità Forestale “Bosco Fontana” – Corpo Forestale dello Stato, Via Carlo Ederle 16/a, I-37100 Verona, Italy. E-mail: [email protected] Í 2Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlá ská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic. E-mail: [email protected] 3Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch, California Department of Food & Agriculture, 3294 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, CA 95832- 1448, U.S.A. E-mail: [email protected] *In: Cerretti, P., Mason, F., Minelli, A., Nardi, G. & Whitmore, D. (Eds), Research on the Terrestrial Arthropods of Sardinia (Italy). Zootaxa, 2318, 1–602. Abstract All published records on Stratiomyidae from Sardinia were critically evaluated and extensive, recently collected material (more than 500 specimens) was identified. The present review of the soldier flies from Sardinia includes 27 species. Nemotelus niloticus Olivier, 1811 is newly recorded from Europe and Italy, and Lasiopa pseudovillosa Rozkošný, 1983 and Zabrachia tenella (Jaennicke, 1866) are newly recorded from Sardinia. Nemotelus brachystomus Loew, 1846 and N. leucorhynchus Costa, 1884 are proposed as new synonyms of N.notatus Zetterstedt, 1842. Beris hyaliniventris Costa, 1857, the types of which could not be found, is removed from synonymy with Chorisops tibialis (Meigen, 1820) and declared as species incertaesedis. Brief comments are made on the zoogeography of Sardinian soldier flies. Key words: Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Sardinia, new synonyms, new records, faunistics, zoogeography Introduction The first records of Stratiomyidae from Sardinia were published by Achille Costa (1882, 1883, 1884, 1886). He carried out several collecting trips in southern Italy and Sardinia, set up important collections and described numerous new species of insects (cf. Conci & Poggi 1996; Pantaleoni 2005). Unfortunately, his collection was not catalogued and made accessible to subsequent specialists after his death (Pantaleoni 2005). Costa (1882, 1883, 1884, 1886) recorded 15 species of soldier flies from Sardinia, including two new species. Recently (June 2008), the senior author had the opportunity to examine the Costa Diptera collection, which is deposited at Naples in the “Museo Zoologico dell'Università di Napoli Federico II” (cf. Maio et al. 1995), and found that no types or other specimens of Stratiomyidae collected in Sardinia have been preserved. The available additional literature records of soldier flies from Sardinia are present in faunistic lists (Röder 1884; Bezzi 1892; Troiano & Toscano 1997; Mason & Rozkošný 2003; Mason 2005; Mason et al. 2006), and two species are also mentioned in Lindner (1938). Rozkošný (1982, 1983) recorded several species from Sardinia based on a list kindly provided by Carlo Contini (Cagliari), and on specimens found in collections deposited in the “Museo Civico di Storia Naturale”, Milan and the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg. All published records were critically evaluated and compared with the extensive, recently collected material. Altogether, 27 species of soldier flies are recorded, with certainty, for Sardinia, three for the first time. Accepted by P. Cerretti: 28 Oct. 2009; published: 22 Dec. 2009 507 Material and methods In 2003–2007 the Centro Nazionale per lo Studio e la Conservazione della Biodiversità Forestale “Bosco Fontana” of Verona carried out annual entomological investigations in SW Sardinia to assess arthropod diversity in the framework of the Conecofor project (the Italian ICP Forests network for the monitoring of forest ecosystems) (cf. Mason et al. 2006). In 2007 the opportunity was taken by the first author to organize a collecting trip in the most important coastal salt marshes of Sardinia, during which over 500 specimens of Stratiomyidae were collected by sweep net. All specimens were collected in salt marshes with a high salt concentration: Stagno di [= Marsh of] San Teodoro, Stagno di s'Ena Arrubia, Stagno di Mistras di Oristano, Stagno di Cabras, Stagno di Santa Giusta, Stagno di Putzu Idu, San Giovanni di Sinis, Stagno di Molentargius, Stagno di Cagliari, Laguna di [= Lagoon of] Santa Gilla, Porto Pino, and Stagno di Santa Caterina. All are Sites of Community Importance in the Natura 2000 network of the EU Habitats Directive. Further material was kindly made available by Sardinian colleagues Carlo Contini, Luca Fancello and Carlo Meloni from Cagliari. The following biometric measurements were made: length of body, length of wing, and head index, the latter being the head length divided by the head height in lateral view (cf. Rozkošný 1982, pl. 3, fig. 11). Under each species, the headings “Published records” and “Material examined” refer exclusively to Sardinia. When necessary, additional material from outside Sardinia was studied for some species, the label data of which is listed under the heading “Other examined material”. Sardinian localities are arranged alphabetically within each province according to the Touring Club Italiano (2000). However, in 2005 the Sardinian provinces were rearranged and increased in number from four to eight, and we chose to follow this new arrangement also for records previous to 2005, so as to avoid the assignment of same localities to two different provinces. Generic records (“Sardinia”) are listed first. Site coordinates were obtained using a Garmin Vista C GPS (precision of about ± 5 m). The records published in Mason (2005) were reprinted in the English version of that work (Mason 2006); in the “List of species”, only Mason (2005) is referred to for brevity. The chorotypes used in the zoogeographical analysis were assigned according to Vigna Taglianti et al. (1993, 1999) and are based on the distributional areas provided by Rozkošný (1982), Nartshuk (2009) and the literature sources cited below each species. Acronyms of collections were taken from the “Abbreviations for Insect and Spider Collections of the World” (Evenhuis 2008). Species that are not confirmed with certainty from Sardinia are enclosed in square brackets and excluded from the zoogeographical analysis. The systematics and nomenclature used in the “List of species” principally follow Rozkošný (2004). Acronyms of specimen depositories: CCC Carlo Contini collection (Cagliari, Italy) CNBFVR Centro Nazionale per lo Studio e la Conservazione della Biodiversità Forestale “Bosco Fontana” (Verona, Italy) FMV Franco Mason collection (Verona, Italy) FSMU Faculty of Science, Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic) MZUN Museo Zoologico dell’Università di Napoli Federico II (Naples, Italy) List of species Chloromyiaformosa (Scopoli, 1763) Published records. Sardinia (Bezzi 1892; Mason & Krivosheina 1995; Rozkošný 2004). Cagliari prov.: Cagliari (Costa 1883); Cagliari; Capoterra, sponde [= banks of] Rio Santa Lucia; Geremeas (Mason 2005); Sarrabus (Troiano & Toscano 1997). Nuoro prov.: Sorgono (Rozkošný 1982). Oristano prov.: Tirso [torrent] (Mason 2005). Sassari prov.: Ploaghe (Troiano & Toscano 1997); Porto Conte; Sassari (Mason 2005). 508 · Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press MASON ET AL. ♂♂ Material examined. Cagliari prov.: Geremeas, 2.VI.2003, L. Fancello leg., 3 , net (CNBFVR); Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Iglesias, near Colonia Beneck, N 39°20’51.3” E 8°33’48.7”, 636 m, 2-16.V.2006, G. ♂♂ Chessa leg., 2 , Malaise trap (CNBFVR). Distribution. Palaearctic species, extending from central Scandinavia to North Africa and eastwards to eastern Siberia (Rozkošný 1982). Chorisops caroli Troiano, 1995 Published record. Olbia-Tempio prov.: Tempio Pausania (Mason & Rozkošný 2003). Distribution. This species was described from Liguria (NW Italy) and later recorded exclusively from Italy in Liguria (Troiano & Toscano 1997; Mason & Rozkošný 2003), Latium (Mason & Mei 2002), Tuscany (Mason 2003, 2005) and Sardinia (see above). Chorisops masoni Troiano & Toscano, 1995 Published records. Sardinia (Rozkošný 2004). Oristano prov.: Busachi, Masi (Mason 2005). Material examined. Oristano prov.: Busachi, Masi, N 40°02’02.0” E 8°53’47.92”, 379 m, 15.X.1978, C. ♂♂ ♀♀ Contini leg., 25 , 5 (CCC, FMV). Remarks. This species was also recorded from Sardinia by Mason (2005) based on part of the above- listed material. Distribution. Only known from Italy: Lombardy (Mason 2004), Liguria (Troiano & Toscano 1995), Latium (Mason & Rozkošný 2003), Sicily (Troiano & Toscano 1995), and Sardinia (Mason 2005). [Chorisops tibialis (Meigen, 1820)] Published records. Ogliastra prov.: [in the mountain forest near] Gennargentu (Costa 1882, as Beris hyaliniventris Costa, 1857). Sassari prov.: Ploaghe (Costa 1884, as B. hyaliniventris). Remarks. Beris hyaliniventris Costa, 1857, which was described from Naples (Campania region, southern Italy) and was later recorded also from the above-quoted Sardinian localities, was treated by Woodley (2001), following Rozkošný (1982), as a synonym of Chorisops tibialis. However, three other species of Chorisops Rondani, 1856 – C. caroli, C. masoni and C. tunisiae (Becker, 1915) – were recently recorded from Sardinia and the Costa types could not be found (Mason, unpublished data). Because the reliable distinguishing characters of these species are represented mainly by structures of the male terminalia, the correct synonymy of Berishyaliniventris remains doubtful, and it is here considered as a species incertae sedis of Chorisops. Chorisops tunisiae (Becker, 1915) Published record. Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Iglesias, Case Marganai, N 39°21’07.3” E 8°34’51.2”, 650 m, ♂♂ ♀♀ 23.IX.2004, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti, F. Mason & D. Whitmore leg., 13 , 5 , on Hedera helix L. flowers, net (FMV) (Mason et al. 2006, with locality given as “Marganai”). Material examined. Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Iglesias, near colonia Beneck, N 39°20’51.3” E ♂ 8°33’48.7”1, 636 m, 19.IX-3.X.2006, G. Chessa leg., 1 , Malaise trap (CNBFVR); Marganai, Tintillonis, N 39°19’13.6” E 8°20’14.8”, 480 m, 22.IX.2004, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti, E. Gatti, F. Mason & D. Whitmore leg., ♀ 1 , on Foeniculum vulgare flowers (CNBFVR); Domusnovas, sa Duchessa, N 39°22’27.2” E 8°35’36.7”, ♀ ♀♀ 371 m, 17-31.IX.2006, G. Chessa leg., 1 (FMV); same data but 19.IX-3.X.2005, 4 (FMV); same data STRATIOMYIDAE OF SARDINIA Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press · 509 ♀ but 3–17.X.2006, 1 , Malaise trap (CNBFVR); Domusnovas, Valle Oridda, N 39°24’32.2” E 8°36’58.9”, ♀ 592 m, 19.IX.-3.X.2006, G. Chessa leg., 1 , Malaise trap (CNBFVR). Remarks. This species was first recorded from Sardinia by Mason et al. (2006) based on part of the above-listed material. The specimens from Case Marganai were collected on sunlit Hedera helix flowers and at night on a garden light. Distribution. Recently recorded from Sardinia and Sicily (Mason et al. 2006) as new to Italy, previously recorded only from few localities in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia (Rozkošný 1982). Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) Published records. Sardinia (Mason & Krivosheina 1995; Rozkošný 2004). Cagliari prov.: Cagliari, city; Elmas (Mason 2005). Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Isola di Sant’Antioco, Rio Trigo (Mason 2005). Remark. Numerous records from Italy were recently summarized by Mason (2005) and Adamo (2008). Distribution. Almost cosmopolitan between 45°N and 40°S, apparently American in origin but spread by commerce (Rozkošný 1983). In the Palaearctic it has been recorded from the Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Albania and Turkey, with northernmost localities in southern Switzerland (Üstüner et al. 2003; Rozkošný 2004). Lasiopapseudovillosa Rozkošný, 1983 Material examined. Cagliari prov.: Pula, S.S. [= Strada Statale = Statal Road] Sulcitana, near Pula, ♂♂ 21.VI.1978, C. Meloni leg., 2 (FMV). Remarks. Species new to Sardinia. In Italy known from southern Emilia-Romagna to Calabria, Apulia and Sicily (Rozkošný 1983; Mason 2005). Distribution. A S-European (sensu Vigna Taglianti et al. 1999) species ranging from the Italian mainland, Sicily and Sardinia. Also recorded from Switzerland, Turkey and Iran (Rozkošný 1983, 2004). Microchrysa polita (Linnaeus, 1758) Published records. Sardinia (Troiano & Toscano 1997). Sassari prov.: Ploaghe (Costa 1884, as Chrysomya polita). Distribution. A Centralasiatic-European (sensu Vigna-Taglianti et. al. 1996) species extending from western Europe through Asia to Mongolia, also introduced into North America (James 1936; McFadden 1972; Rozkošný 2004). Nemotelusanchora Loew, 1846 Published records. Sardinia (Rozkošný 1983). Oristano prov.: Oristano (Lindner 1938; Mason 2005); Sinis, Capo Mannu (Troiano & Toscano 1997). Sassari prov.: Asinara Island (Troiano & Toscano 1997; Nuvoli et al. 2007). Material examined. Sardinia, Cagliari prov.: [Cagliari], Stagno di Santa Gilla, 7.V.2001, L. Fancello leg., ♂ ♀♀ 1 , 14 , net (FMV). Distribution. Known in Italy from Emilia-Romagna (cf. Mason 2005), Sicily (Loew 1846; Jaennike 1866; Lindner 1938; Rozkošný 1977) and Sardinia (see above). It has been recorded also from Malta, Israel, Algeria, Tunisia and from several localities in the former USSR (northern Caucasus, Transcaucasus, Central Asia) (Rozkošný 1977, 1983, 2004). 510 · Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press MASON ET AL. FIGURES 1–5. Variability of male abdominal colour pattern in a population of Nemotelus nigrifrons Loew(Sardinia, Stagno di Santa Gilla), scale bar: 1 mm. STRATIOMYIDAE OF SARDINIA Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press · 511 Nemoteluslasiops Loew, 1846 Published records. Cagliari prov.: Assemini, Rio Flumini Mannu; Serdiana; Siliqua (Mason 2005). Oristano prov.: Sinis, Capo Mannu (Troiano & Toscano 1997). Material examined. Cagliari prov.: Cagliari, Stagno di Santa Gilla, saline [= saltworks], 7.V.2001, L. ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ Fancello leg., 3 , net (FMV); Serdiana, 1.V.2001, L. Fancello leg., 10 , 33 (FMV). Remarks. This species is known in Italy only from Sardinia and Sicily (Troiano & Toscano 1997; Mason 2005). Distribution. A W-Mediterranean species known to occur in Sardinia, Sicily and the coastal areas of North Africa (Rozkošný 1977, 2004). Nemotelusnigrifrons Loew, 1846 (Figs 1–5) Published records. Cagliari prov.: Cagliari, Stagno di Santa Gilla, saline [= saltworks] (Mason 2005). Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Gonnesa, Palude Gonnesa (Mason 2005). Remarks. A species resembling N. pantherinus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the male terminalia, but well distinguished by the absence of frontal spots (Rozkošný 1977, 1983). Recent records of this species from Sardinia are not surprising given its occurrence in Sicily (Rozkošný 1983; Mason & Krivosheina 1995). Distribution. Nemotelus nigrifrons seems to be confined to the Mediterranean area, extending from Spain, Sardinia, Sicily and North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) to Israel (Rozkošný 1977, 2004). Nemotelusniloticus Olivier, 1811 (Figs 6–20, 21–24, 62–63) Material examined. Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Isola di Sant’Antioco, Stagno di Santa Caterina, close to ♀♀ ♂♂ “Centro Sperimentale ENEL”, N 39°05’18.4” E 8°29’10.5”, 24.VI.2007, C. Meloni leg., 88 , 47 sweep net, on Salicornia sp. (FMV); Sant’Anna Arresi, Stagno di Punta Pino N 38°58’24.0” E 8°36’34.4”, ♂♂ ♀♀ 22.VI.2007, F. Mason, D. Birtele & F. Mazzocchi leg., 25 , 26 , sweep net, on Salicornia (FMV). ♂ ♀ Other material examined. Israel, Newe Zohar, 19.03.1995, net, B. Merz leg. 1 , 1 , (FMV); Tunisia, ♂♂ near Nefta, palme grove, 31.05.1994, net, S. Becvar leg., 2 (FMV); Algeria, Skah, Biskra, 18.04.1949, A. ♂ ♀ Giordani Soika leg., 1 , 1 (FMV). Remarks.Nemotelus niloticus was treated as a species incertae sedis by Rozkošný (1977) in his revision of the West-Palaearctic Nemotelus Geoffroy, 1762; the same author illustrated the diagnostic characteristics of N. albifacies Becker, 1902, which was later considered as its synonym by Hauser (2008). The specimens recently collected in Sardinia have a yellow spot limited to the area between the apex of the facial projection and the base of the antennae (typical, according to Hauser (2008), of specimens from the Tunisian coast). Records from Sardinia confirm the Mediterranean distribution pattern of the species (Rozkošný 1977, 1983). The Sardinian specimens were collected in a salt marsh with Salicornia sp. and Limonium sp. vegetation. Specimens of both sexes were attracted in great numbers by white surfaces, e.g. clothes, insect nets or white cars (Mason, pers. obs.; Meloni, pers. comm.). The biometric measurements refer to the population collected on the same day at Stagno di Santa Caterina (see above). Males (n = 21): body = 4.2–5.4 mm, wing = 2.5–3.7 mm, head index = 1.9–2.1; females (n = 26): body = 4.3–5.7, wing = 2.5–3.7, head index = 1.9–2.1 mm. The head index ranges from 1.6–1.7 (males) and 1.9 (females) for specimens from Algeria and Israel, to 2.0–2.3 for males from Tunisia. The Sardinian specimens are characterized by a relatively long facial projection (see Tab. 1). 512 · Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press MASON ET AL. FIGURES 6–11. Male of Nemotelus niloticus Olivier, scale bar: 1 mm. 6. Head in lateral view (Sardinia, Stagno di Santa Caterina). 7. Head in dorsal view (same locality). 8. Abdomen in dorsal view (same locality). 9. Head in lateral view (Israel, Newe Zohar). 10. Head in lateral view (Algeria, Skah, Biskra). 11. Head in lateral view (Tunisia, Nefta). STRATIOMYIDAE OF SARDINIA Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press · 513 TABLE 1. Head index of Nemotelusniloticus specimens from Sardinia (Stagno di Santa Caterina), Israel (Newe Zohar), Tunisia (Nefta) and Algeria (Skah, Biskra) (for label data see “Other material examined”). Sardinia Israel Tunisia Algeria ♂♂ 1.9–2.1 1.6 2.0–2.3 1.7 ♀♀ 1.9–2.1 1.9 - 1.9 Distribution. First record for Europe. This species was known from Algeria and Egypt (Rozkošný 1977), and was recently recorded from Libya (Troiano & Toscano 1997), Tunisia (Hauser 2008), Israel (Hauser 2008) and the United Arab Emirates (Hauser 2008). FIGURES 12–16. Female of Nemotelus niloticus Olivier, scale bar: 1 mm. 12. Head in lateral view (Sardinia, Stagno di Santa Caterina). 13. Head in dorsal view (same locality). 14. Abdomen in dorsal view (same locality). 15. Head in lateral view (Israel, Newe Zohar). 16. Head in lateral view (Tunisia, Nefta). 514 · Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press MASON ET AL. FIGURES 17–20.Nemotelus niloticus Olivier (Sardinia, Stagno di Santa Caterina), scale bars: 0.1 mm. 17–18. Female. 17. Genital furca. 18. Subgenital plate. 19–20. Male. 19. Genital capsule in dorsal view. 20. Phallic complex in dorsal view. Nemotelus notatus Zetterstedt, 1842 (Figs 25–60) Nemotelus notatus Zetterstedt, 1842: 148. Nemotelus brachystomus Loew, 1846: 443 syn. nov. Nemotelus leuchorynchus Costa, 1884: 61 syn. nov. Published records. Sardinia (Rozkošný 2004). Cagliari prov.: Cagliari (Costa 1884, as N. leucorhynchus); Santa Gilla, Saline di Santa Gilla (Mason 2005, as N. brachystomus). Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Isola di San Pietro, La Caletta (Mason 2005). Sassari prov.: Stintino (Mason 1988). Material examined. Carbonia-Iglesias prov.: Sant’Anna Arresi, Stagno di Punta Pino, N 38°58’24.0” E ♀ 8°36’34.4”, 22.VI.2007, F. Mason, D. Birtele & F. Mazzocchi, 1 , sweep net, on Salicornia sp. (FMV); Sant’Antioco, Stagno di Santa Caterina, N 39°04’56.1” E 8°29’21.9”, 22.VI.2007, F. Mason, D. Birtele & F. ♂♂ ♀♀ Mazzocchi leg., 10 , 7 , sweep net, on Salicornia sp. (FMV). Oristano prov.: S. Giovanni di Sinis, ♂ Stagno di Mistras, N 39°53’15.3” E 8°26’48.8”, 23.VI.2007, F. Mason, D. Birtele & F. Mazzocchi 1 , sweep net, on Salicornia sp. (FMV); Cabras, Stagno di Cabras, N 39°55’35.4” E 8°27’53.8”, 23.VI.2007, F. Mason, ♂ ♀ D. Birtele & F. Mazzocchi leg., 1 , 1 , sweep net, on Salicornia sp. (CNBFVR); Arborea, Stagno di Santa ♂♂ ♀♀ Giusta, N 39°52’05.9” E 8°35’22.3”, 25.V.2006, 10 7 , M. Bardiani, D. Birtele, P. Cornacchia & D. STRATIOMYIDAE OF SARDINIA Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press · 515 FIGURES 21–28. Males of Nemotelus spp. from Sardinia. 21–24. Nemotelus niloticus Olivier (Sant’Antioco). 21. Antenna; scale bar, 0.2 mm. 22. Fifth and sixth flagellomeres; scale bar: 0.05 mm. 23. Detail of third flagellomere, scale bar: 0.05 mm. 24. Third flagellomere, sensory pits, scale bar: 0.02 mm. 25–28.Nemotelus notatus Zetterstedt (Stagno di s’Ena Arrubia). 25. Antenna; scale-bar: 0.2 mm. 26. Fifth and sixth flagellomeres; scale bar: 0.05 mm. 27. Detail of third flagellomere, scale-bar: 0.05 mm. 28. Sensory pits of third flagellomere, scale bar: 0.02 mm. 516 · Zootaxa 2318 © 2009 Magnolia Press MASON ET AL.