Mycetophilidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) Type Specimens in the Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town

Abstract

An annotated list is provided of the type specimens of four species of Mycetophilidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha) described by Edwards (1925) and placed in the Iziko South African Museum (SAMC), Cape Town, South Africa. The label data and preservation condition of each specimen are provided. The type of Dziedzickia nitida Edwards is formally lost and the lectotypes of Acrodicrania africana and Leia stigmatica are designated below. The family Mycetophilidae s.s. is one of the largest and most diverse families of Bibionomorpha, with approximately 180 extant genera and more than 4100 species worldwide (Pape et al. 2011). Edwards (1925), in a compilation on Mycetophilidae (s.l., including some Sciaridae and Bibionidae specimens) in the South African Museum, that had been forwarded to him by Dr L. Peringuey, described four new species of Mycetophilidae s.s. of which some of the syntypes are located in the SAMC. Edwards (1925) stated that he had been allowed to retain duplicate specimens in the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, collection evidently including some syntypes of the new species he described. The present paper provides a list of the type specimens of Mycetophilidae housed in the SAMC collection, with details on their label data and preservation condition. The list is in alphabetical order of genera. Label data are given in single quotation marks; handwritten text is reproduced in italics; completely handwritten and printed labels are reproduced in regular font. Additions and clarifications by the current authors to some of the original information on labels are included within square brackets. Particularly notable information on the types is in bold and underlined. Photographs were taken at the SAMC, Entomology collection, with a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W320. The Mycetophilidae type specimens in the SAMC collection are listed below.