Discovery of Plethysmochaeta nobilis Schmitz (Diptera: Phoridae) from Japan, which has been known from Java

Abstract

Plethysmochaeta nobilis hitherto known from Java was discovered in Fukuoka and Tokorozawa, Japan. Morphological characters of the specimens obtained in Japan are briefly described, and a key to morphologically similar phorid species in the lowland of Japan is given. In Fukuoka, P. nobilis was caught by sweeping at a park where thousands of crows gathered and the ground was covered with their droppings. In Tokorozawa, it was collected by traps baited with decaying meat. The genus Plethysmochaeta is saprophagous in the larval stage and has been known from Africa and Southeast Asia. It is possible that P. nobilis was transported to Japan by human activity, judging from its food preference and known locality of the genus. It is also possible that P. nobilis is native to Japan at least in the southern region, and the lack of its distribution record in the past is due to limited investigation on the phorids in Japan.