Leptocera caenosa ( RONDANI, 1880 )

Papp, L., 2012, A Review Of The Afrotropical Species Of Leptocera Olivier (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (3), pp. 225-258 : 231

Leptocera caenosa ( RONDANI, 1880)

Limosina caenosa RONDANI, 1880: 36 . For detailed synonymy see ROHÁČEK et al. 2001: 151–152. Type locality: Italy (“in montuosis Italiae centralis”). The lectotype male (MZUF) was designated by ROHÁČEK (1982: 33). In the same paper ( ROHÁČEK

1982) he described it excellently (p. 33–40) and depicted the male and female genitalia (figs

58–68, 74).

Material studied ( HNHM): c. 60 specimens from Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, Finland ,

Mongolia and Jordania.

Widespread in the Palaearctic region ( MARSHALL et al. 2011): Andorra, Austria, Portugal: Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain: Canary Is, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy (incl. Sardinia), Latvia,? Madeira ( Portugal), Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Russia (NET, CET, ES, WS, FE), Georgia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, North Korea, Japan, Israel. It has been regarded as a cosmopolitan species through human activity; it has also been found in the Australasian/Oceanian ( Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand), the Nearctic and the Neotropical regions and in the South Atlantic (Gough I.) and subantarctic regions (South Shetlands).

It has been reported also from South Africa. I studied a male (BMSA: R.S.A.: Eastern Cape, Hogsback Redwood trail, 32° 30.337’ S, 26° 56.135’E, 8–10. iv. 2010, 1169 m, Kirk-Spriggs & V. R. Smart – Indigenous (mixed) Afromontane forest, Malaise trap), which would not completely fit to ROHÁČEK’ s figures (figs 60–68). It has the medio-caudal desclerotised area of sternite 5 much broader, basal part of postgonite definitely longer, “notch” of the postgonite deep. This is why first I hesitate to name it as L. caenosa ; I was adviced to accept it as L. caenosa , since this species highly variable also as for genital characters.