Winnertzia bulbifera Mamaev, 1963

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2020, Reevaluation of species richness in Winnertzia (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Winnertziinae), with descriptions of 37 new species from Sweden, Peru and Australia, Zootaxa 4829 (1), pp. 1-72 : 34

Winnertzia bulbifera Mamaev agg.

Figs 63–65

Our reexamination revealed that W. bulbifera sensu Jaschhof & Jaschhof (2013) comprises three discrete species, referred to here as A, B and C. The genitalic illustration in Mamaev’s original description ( Mamaev 1963: fig. 3.5) suggests that the genuine W. bulbifera is identical with our species A ( Fig. 63 ), an assumption that must be corroborated in the future by study of the holotype.

Within the solidaginis group, W. bulbifera agg. is distinguished by the conspicuously long gonostylus with inflated apex, whose exact outline is specific to each of A, B and C ( Figs 63–65 ). Also, in species C the fore tibia is markedly longer than the second tarsomere, while in A and B both segments are maximally equally long (occasionally the tibia is even slightly shorter than the second tarsomere). Specimens at our disposal, altogether 19 males, indicate that the habitats of A, B and C differ also. Specimens of A (n = 7) come from moist forests of spruce and pine; specimens of B (n = 7) from swamp forests of spruce interspersed with small-leaved softwoods, such as alder, birch and willow; and specimens of C (n = 5) from dry pine forests. To solve this taxonomic issue, the preliminary observations described here must be supported by better data, both from morphological study of extra-Swedish specimens and DNA barcoding.

Winnertzia ombergensis , a new species described below, resembles W. bulbifera agg. in the long, apically inflated gonostylus as well as in the medial gonocoxal bridges, which are strongly bulging. We think that all these species belong to a monophyletic subgroup ( bulbifera subgroup) of the solidaginis group. Winnertzia fraxinophila is another new species with long, inflated gonostylus, although we deem it closer to W. solidaginis , for both these species have gonocoxae in which the dorsoposterior portions, not the medial bridges, are protruding. Finally, W. obscurella Mamaev is another species described as having the gonostylus both long and inflated ( Mamaev 2002a: fig. 3), but in other respects the species description is too imprecise for drawing conclusions regarding the intrageneric placement of this species.

Material studied. Species A: spns GULI 000021220 and GULI 000021226 in NHRS, spns SE1646–SE1648 and CEC 2868– CEC 2869 in SDEI. Species B: spns GULI 000021222– GULI 000021225 in NHRS, spns CEC 2873 and CEC 3213– CEC 3214 in SDEI. Species C: spn GULI 000021221 in NHRS, spns CEC 2870– CEC 2872 and CEC 2874 in SDEI.

Figures

FIGURES 63–66. Male morphology of Winnertzia bulbifera agg. (63–65) and Winnertzia fusca (66). 63: Winnertzia “bulbifera A”, gonostylus, ventral, specimen from Östergötland. 64: Winnertzia “bulbifera B”, gonostylus, ventral, specimen from Östergötland.. 65: Winnertzia “bulbifera C”, gonostylus, ventral, specimen from Uppland. 66: Genitalia, ventral, specimen from Uppland. Scales 0.05 mm.