Egle minuta (Meigen, 1826)

Michelsen, Verner, 2009, Revision of the willow catkin flies, genus Egle Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), in Europe and neighbouring areas, Zootaxa 2043 (1), pp. 1-76 : 53

The Egle minuta species group

This species group equals the ‘ Egle minuta superspecies’ proposed by Griffiths (2003). It includes some very similar taxa that make it difficult to get a clear picture of the species limits and species numbers. Griffiths (2003) recognized four species: E. minuta ( Meigen, 1826) , E. parva Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 , E. korpokkur Suwa, 1971 and E. lyneborgi Ackland & Griffiths, 2003 . At present, I also recognize four species in the E. minuta species group, but one of them, E. suwai , is described as new, while E. korpokkur is regarded as a synonym of E. minuta (Meigen) . Egle minuta and E. lyneborgi are widespread Holarctic species, while E. parva is exclusively Palaearctic. Egle suwai is known so far from Denmark and Sweden.

Male: Hind femur on basal half to two-thirds with short pv-setae not exceeding depth of femur where situated. Sternite V without setal tufts posterolaterally on basal plate, only with 0–4 weak setulae. Female: Prementum with sparse dusting, more or less extensively polished black on lateral parts. Sternite VIII wholly reduced. Cerci broadly rounded and distally barely projected.