Pyratula takkae Chandler, 2001

Chandler, Peter J., 2009, The fungus gnats (Diptera: Bolitophilidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae) of Sardinia, with description of six new species *, Zootaxa 2318 : -

11. Pyratula takkae Chandler, 2001 **

( Figs 4–5)

Material examined. S1 4–18.IV.06 1 ♂. SAR1 16.II–15.VI.04 1 ♂.

Chorotype. Type 6 [3.01 of Vigna Taglianti et al. (1999)]. Mediterranean , previously known only from Greece (Pelopponese) .

Italian distribution. Sardinia only.

Notes. Chandler and Blasco-Zumeta (2001) included descriptions of six species of the Pyratula perpusilla Edwards, 1925 group, mostly from the Mediterranean region, only P. perpusilla itself being known from northern Europe. Among the species described in that paper these specimens are concluded to be conspecific with P.takkae pending discovery of further material. They agree well in most characters of the male genitalia ( Figs 4–5), in particular in the structure of the apical margin of the gonocoxites, which is characteristic in species of this group. The holotype of P. takkae was unusual in this genus in having strong setae on the mediotergite. These specimens differ in lacking these setae so in the absence of other material it is not possible to say which condition is typical of the species. The holotype has the head damaged and lacks flagellomeres. The Sardinian specimens have the antenna 1.5 times as long as the thorax and the flagellomeres are about twice as long as broad.

Chandler (2004b) recorded P. perpusilla as new to Italy from Bosco della Fontana and Kurina (2008) recorded two species of this group from South Tyrol, P. alpicola Chandler, 2001 (also known from Czech Republic, the Swiss Alps and Andorra) and P. oracula Chandler, 1994 (mainly Mediterranean but also occurring in Czech Republic and Switzerland). The finding of this species in Sardinia is thus of considerable interest, identifying Italy as having the richest known fauna of this genus.