Phthinia tanypus Loew, 1869

Fitzgerald, Scott J. & Kerr, Peter H., 2014, Revision of Nearctic Phthinia Winnertz (Diptera: Mycetophilidae), Zootaxa 3856 (3), pp. 301-325 : 321-324

Phthinia tanypus Loew, 1869

Figs. 44–48

Phthinia tanypus Loew, 1869: 143 . 2 syntypes (1♂, 1 missing abdomen so sex undetermined) [MCZC]; ♂ labelled: “N.Y.” “Loew Coll.” “[red label] Type 2 1214” (examined).

Phthinia carolina Fisher, 1940: 246 . Holotype ♂ [ANSP] labelled: “Raleigh N.C. / Apr. 4 ‘40 from / pupa in web in rotten log.” “[red label] TYPE ♂ / Phthinia / carolina / E.G. Fisher” (examined). New Synonym.

Phthinia catawbiensis Shaw, 1940: 50 . Holotype ♂ (missing terminalia) [USNM] labelled: “G.S.M.N.P., Smokemont, N.C. / Aug. 19, 1937. / El. 2000’ Near, water / Coll. M.W. George” “ PHTHINIA / CATAWBIENSIS / SHAW / TYPE ” (examined). New Synonym.

Material examined: In addition to the type material listed above the following material was examined: ♂, ♀, (same pin) [ CNCI], USA: GA: Mossy Pond, 4–I–1949, R.E. Bellamy; ♂ [ ISUI], USA: IA: Boone Co., Ledges State Park, 1950, Jean Laffoon; ♂ [ MSU], USA: IA: Boone Co., Ledges State Park, VII–29–1950, Jean Laffoon; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VII– 3–1961; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except IX–18–1951; 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except IX–8–1951; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VIII–31–1951; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except June 23, 1964; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except July 3 1966; 4 ♂♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except June 23, 1960; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except Sept. 20 1960; 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VII– 27–1951; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except IX– 25–1950; 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VI– 21–1950; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VI–12–1952; 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except V– 18–1949; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except V–24–1949; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VII–30–1949; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VII–10–1949; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except Sept. 19, 1962, R.J. Gagne; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except VIII– I–1951, T. Kono, Jean Laffoon; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except June 23, 1961, J. Laffoon; ♂ [ ISUI], same as previous record except June 3, 1961, R.J. Gagne; ♂ [ ISUI], USA: IA: Woodbury Co., 3 miles se Holly Springs, Aug. 30, 1961, J. Laffoon, swept in woods (mostly ash) in lee of loess bluff; 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI], USA: IA: Linn Co., Palisades–Kepler State Park, July 8, 1950, Laffoon, Slater, Hicks; ♂ [ ISUI], USA: IA: Guthrie Co., Springbrook State Park, w. ½ Sec. 33, T81N, R3IW, VII–19–1960, J. Laffoon; ♂ [ SEMC], USA: IN: Montgomery Co., Shades St. Park, #1 VI–28–1950, G.W. Byers; ♂ [ SEMC], USA: IN: Owen Co., McCorm Cr., #2 VI–25–50, G.W. Byers; ♂ [ MSU], USA: KY: Nelson Co., nr. Holy Cross, 26 June 1985, G.A. Dahlem, EX: Malaise trap; ♂ [ MSU], same as previous record except 28 June; ♂ [ MSU], same as previous record except 4 July; ♂ [ MSU], MA: Sunderland, X–20–51, coll. EI Coher; ♂ [ MSU], MI: Houghton Co., 6–20–60; 2 ♂♂ [SJF], USA: MO: Pulaski Co., Ryden Cave, upper entrance, entrance and twilight zone, ~ 37.6527ºN, - 92.0399ºW, 28 July 2013, S. Fitzgerald; ♂ [SJF], same as previous record except, lower entrance; ♂ [SJF], USA: MO: Pulaski Co., Big Piney River jct. end Wood Lane, in hollow log, ~ 37.6429ºN, - 92.0430ºW, 30 July 2013, S. Fitzgerald; ♂ [ UNH], USA: NH: Straf Co., Spruce Hole, 3 mi SW Durham, X–15 / XI–4–1987, D.S. Chandler, Malaise; ♂ [ ISUI], USA: NY: Ithaca, vic. Sixmile Creek, 9 Aug. 1961, Jean L. Laffoon; 4 ♂♂ [ ISUI] Jean Laffoon, 2 ♂♂ [ ISUI] R.J. Gagne, USA: PA: Clarion Co., Cook St. For., trail to “Forest Cathedral” from Toms Run., Aug. 11 1961; ♂ [ ANSP], USA: SC: Anderson Co., Pendleton (114 Shannon Dr.), elev. ~ 260m, N 34º38’28” W 82º47’09”, mature oak, beech, maple, woodland, 12–14–iv–2013, J. Gelhaus #1483, ex. swept in woodland slope and along first order tributary of 18-mile Creek, 14–iv–2013; ♂ [ ISUI], USA: TN: Sevier Co., Great Smoky Mts., near Indian Gap, 5000’, 35º36.6’ N, 83º27.1’ W, VII–7–1958, J. Laffoon; ♂ [ SEMC], CANADA: MAN., # 6 W. Hawk Lake, VIII–3–1950, G.W. Byers; ♂ [ CNCI], CANADA: N.S.: CBHNt. Pk., Lone Shieling, PG731861, Maple forest with fern undergrowth, 25 VI 1983, J.R. Vockeroth; 2 ♂♂ [ CNCI], CANADA: QUE: Old Chelsea, 18 VII 1987, Ex NCC log pile, L. Masner; ♂ [ CNCI], CANADA: QUE: Old Chelsea, 30 VIII 1961, J.R. Vockeroth; ♂ [ CNCI], CANADA: QUE: Old Chelsea, 16 IX 1956, J.R. Vockeroth; ♂, ♀, (in alcohol) [13N372, CSCA] CANADA: Quebec; Ste. Anne de Bellevue; Morgan Arboretum, 20 Aug 2008, mated pair under log, C. Borkent CJB08-33.

Diagnosis and comments. Phthinia tanypus is distinguished from other Nearctic species by the presence of two unequal spines on the outer surface of the gonostylus (long apical spine and shorter basal spine) and a small, semi-transparent, apically spatulate lobe on the inner surface of the gonostylus ( Figs. 44–45, 47–48 ). The subrectangular median structure lying just dorsal to the posteromedian margin of the gonocoxites is also distinctive ( Figs. 47–48 ).

Discussion. Phthinia tanypus , described from New York in 1869 ( Loew 1869), was the first Nearctic species of Phthinia described, but its true identity has been hard to discern due to conflicting concepts of this species in the literature. In the 71 years between 1869 and when Fisher described P. carolina in 1940, every Phthinia that was collected was presumed to be either P. tanypus or P. curta Johannsen (the latter was later transferred to Coelophthinia Edwards ) since they were the only known species. Johannsen’s (1912) treatment of the Nearctic Mycetophilidae did not illustrate the male terminalia of P. tanypus , and it was not until 1937 that Fisher illustrated the male terminalia of “ P. tanypus ” and “ P. tanypus var. a” in an unpublished study of mycetophilid terminalia. Unfortunately, neither of Fisher’s (1937) illustrations represented the correct concept of P. tanypus ; these illustrations are of P. miranda and P. l o ba t a respectively. Shaw and Fisher (1952) maintained Fisher’s (1937) concept of P. tanypus in their treatment of the Mycetophilidae of Connecticut. Zaitzev (1984) reviewed the Holarctic species of Phthinia , but did not study the types of P. tanypus , apparently relying on material determined as P. tanypus by J. Laffoon for his concept of the species. Due to the multiple concepts of this species in the literature and the lack of any study of the types (which had been missing for many years and were relocated as part of this study), the true identity of this species has never been clear.

However, the types of P. tanypus have been studied and returned to MCZC, as part of this study. Of the two type specimens of P. tanypus , one is missing the abdomen (“Loew Coll.” “[red label] Type 1214” “ tanypus m.” [MCZC]) and the second specimen, a male (that had been dissected previously), has damaged terminalia (“N.Y.” “Loew Coll.” “[red label] Type 2 1214” [MCZC]); the apical spine of both gonostyli has the apex broken off making these spines appear apically truncate and similar in length to the basal gonostylar spine. While the lengths of these gonostylar spines are important in differentiating P. tanypus from P. miranda ( P. miranda has the spines subequal in length), the semi-rectangular, apically truncate aedeagal complex of this type specimen confirms that it is not conspecific with P. miranda , and fixes the name P. tanypus in agreement with Zaitzev’s (1984) concept of the species as presented here.

The male terminalia of the holotype of P. c a ro l i na Fisher has also been studied and is identical with that of P. tanypus ; therefore, these species are considered conspecific. The male holotype of P. catawbiensis has also been studied, but unfortunately the terminalia are missing. However, Shaw’s original description (1940) states that the gonostylus of P. catawbiensis has two unequal spines, a character state unique to P. tanypus in the Nearctic region. Because the type of P. catawbiensis matches P. tanypus in all other respects, and in the interests of a stable taxonomy, we consider the former to be a junior synonym of the latter.

Zaitzev (1984) described P. lenae from eastern Russia (Primorsky Krai). The illustration of the male terminalia of P. lenae is very similar to P. tanypus , but Zaitzev (1984) distinguishes these two taxa based on the relative size of the “medial rectangular process” (=”aedeagal complex” in the present study). However, the size and shape of this median structure seems incongruent between the dorsal and ventral views provided by Zaitzev (1984; Figs. 2.4, 2.6), making it difficult to interpret the true shape of the structure and further evaluate whether or not P. l e n ae and P. tanypus are distinct. The types of P. l enae were not available for study.

Bionomics. Phthinia tanypus was originally described from New York and later reported from Iowa and Virginia by Zaitzev (1984), but due to confusion over the identity of this species (see “Discussion”), other published distribution records for this species are unreliable and have not been included. Phthinia tanypus is the most widespread and commonly collected Phthinia species in the eastern Nearctic region, with records from Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, North Carolina , South Carolina , Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, and Georgia. Habitats include ash woods, mature oak, beech, maple woods, and maple forest with fern undergrowth. Along with P. lobata , many specimens of this species were taken at Ledges State Park, Iowa which includes mixed forests of oak, hickory, maple and basswood. Specimens have also been taken in the mouth of a cave, in a hollow log, swept from a log pile, and taken in Malaise traps. Seasonal distribution is April–October with a single outlying record from Georgia in January, but the majority of specimens have been taken June–August.

Figures

FIGURES 44 – 48. P. tanypus Loew, male terminalia [# 13 N 260]. 44. Lateral view. 45. Posterior view. 46. Dorsal view of epandrium, cercus, and hypoproct. 47. Dorsal view of gonocoxites (epandrium removed). 48. Ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.