Dilophus tibialis Loew, 1869

Skartveit, John, 2010, The larvae of European Bibioninae (Diptera, Bibionidae), Journal of Natural History 36 (4), pp. 449-485 : 482-483

Dilophus tibialis Loew, 1869 (sensu Krivosheina, 1972)

Larva described very brie¯y by Krivosheina (1972), based on larvae collected on Primorskij kray, near Vladivostok. I have not seen any material of this species, and can only repeat the information given by Krivosheina:`The larvae are well distinguished from other bibionid larvae based on external characters. Its body is bright yellow, with very small and pointed processes, and up to 12 mm. The mandibles have three robust teeth on the top and one small tooth located on the side. Sclerotized plates of labium (= prementum) are without mesal projection. Body with very small, almost unnoticeable short processes. The most developed processes of two last segments are pointed, their length is equal or a little bit longer than the width of the processes. All segments are covered by small, slightly sclerotized scales having thin, completely bright long spines looking like hairs. Scales of thoracic segments are almost in contact with each other and have up to six spines. On the abdominal segments are several isolated scales having from six (on ®rst segment) to two or three spines (on ®fth segment). Scales of two last segments have one or two spines. Structure of ventral side of body is the same type like on the dorsal’ (translated from Krivosheina (1972) by Joanna G. Stormark, terminology slightly modi®ed).

The bright yellow colour should distinguish this species from all other known bibionid larvae, however, as far as I am aware no other species of Dilophus larvae has been described from East Asia or North America.

Distribution. Nearctic Region, East Asia: Primorskij kray.

Ecology. Larvae were collected from decaying wood of various tree species ( Krivosheina, 1972).

I have not seen any material of this species and I am not sure if Krivosheina’s identi®cation of the species is correct. No other authors have published records of Dilophus tibialis from the Palaearctic region.