Tipula (V.) virgatula (Starkevich, 2012)

Starkevich, Pavel, Podenas, Sigitas & Gelhaus, Jon K., 2020, Taxonomic review of Tipula (Vestiplex Bezzi) crane flies (Diptera: Tipulidae) in Mongolia, Zootaxa 4837 (1), pp. 1-88 : 69

Tipula (V.) virgatula species group

The virgatula species group was proposed by Savchenko (1960, 1964) with additional discussion by Dia & Theowald (1982). Males of the virgatula group are characterized by the following features: gonocoxite large, triangular or nearly rectangular flatish plates, tergite 9 forming a weakly modified tergal plate. An additional feature that could characterize males of the virgatula group is small gonapophyses. The ovipositor of females has the hypovalvae greatly reduced tooth-shaped. Savchenko suggested that the virgatula group separated from the most primitive ancestors. Dia & Theowald (1982) had a similar opinion, assuming that virgatula is an old group in the subgenus T. ( Vestiplex ). The virgatula group includes the following Palaearctic species: T. (V.) aestiva Savchenko, 1960 , T. (V.) fernandezi Theowald, 1972 , T. (V.) fragilicornis Riedel, 1913 , T. (V.) kosswigi Mannheims, 1953 , T. (V.) longitudinalis Nielsen, 1929 , T. (V.) opilionimorpha Savchenko, 1955 , T. (V.) relicta Dia & Theowald, 1982 , T. (V.) vaillanti Theowald, 1977 and T. (V.) virgatula Riedel, 1913 .