Bradysia pallipes (Fabricius, 1787)

(Fig. 13 A)

Tipula pallipes Fabricius, 1787 [Fabricius (1787): 326].

Common synonyms: Bradysia brunnipes (Meigen, 1804); Bradysia prolifica (Felt, 1898) .

Literature: Felt (1898): 226, fig. 8–9 (as Sciara prolifica); Meigen (1804): 99 (as Sciara brunnipes); Mohrig & Menzel (1993): 271–272, fig. 3; Menzel & Mohrig (2000): 134–137, fig. 127 a (both as Bradysia brunnipes); Menzel & Heller (2005): 350–351; Mohrig et al. (2013): 168–169.

Material studied. NEW SOUTH WALES: 1 male, ix.1936, Sydney, mushroom beds, ASCT00053467, leg. unknown ; 1 male, Rydalmere, 21.ii.1978, MV light trap, ASCT00053464 ; 1 male, 24.x.1979, MV light trap, Rydalmere, ASCT00053463, leg. unknown (all in ASCU).

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: 5 males, May 1981, Canberra, infesting CSIRO dung beetle cultures on floor, ASCT 00053455-53459, leg. D.H. Colless (53456 in PABM, remainder in ASCU).

Diagnostic remarks. B. pallipes is characterised by having macrotrichia on y, long bristles in the middle of the ventral inner-side of the gonocoxites that are directed inwardly, and a circular gonostylus, with short, dense and pelt-like hairs apically and a large apical tooth. The species is a new record for Australia.

Comments: This species is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region and is locally abundant there. In the southern hemisphere, it occurs in New Zealand (Mohrig & Jaschhof 1999). Bradysia pallipes does not appear to be common in Australia based on the comparatively few specimens that we have examined, however like L. sativae it has been present since the early days of protected mushroom cultivation.

Economic importance. Reported to attack cucumbers under glass, and mushrooms in the former USSR (Gerbatchevskaya 1963). Also reported as a mushroom pest by Hussey et al. (1969). Felt (1898) described it as being quite common in greenhouses in Massachusetts, USA. We believe that B. pallipes is a relatively uncommon species in Australia and not likely to be a true pest.

Distribution. Cosmopolitan.