Review of type specimens of the limbatellus group, with a provisional key to known females of Psectrocladius Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Abstract

[European material of the bird-parasic blowfly genus Trypocalliphora Peus, 1960, including material of A vihospita braueri Hendel, 1901 and Trypocalliphora lindneri Peus, 1960, has been examined. The genus is redefined on the basis of the male phallosome structure and its systematic position and status discussed. The genus contains a single Holarctic species, Trypocalliphora braueri (Hendel, 1901); Protocalliphora hirudo Shannon & Dobroscky, 1924, T. lindneri Peus, 1960 and T. compacta Grunin, 1966 are new synonyms. Knowledge of the biology is summarised and a host list for the Pataearctic Region is given., A comparative study of the genitalia of female Psectrocladius Kieffer from British localities and the female syntype of Holmgren's Chironomus limbatellus (designated type by F. W. Edwards) reveals that Psectrocladius edwardsi Brundin is a junior synonym of limbatellus Holmgren. The speeimens of edwardsi were seen and confirm the identity of the British specimens. A survey of specimens identified as limbatellus by Edwards reveals that his original interpretation of the Holmgren species was octomaculatus Wulker. The species referred to as limbatellus by Brundin, Wulker and Langton is described as oxyura sp. n. This species, along with sordidellus (Zetterstedt),fennicus StorA and calcaratus Edwards are among the specimens identified by Edwards as limbatellus. Holmgren's two male limbatellus, synonymized by Edwards with Orthocladius (s.str.) decoratus (Holmgren), are shown to belong to subgenus Euorthocladius and described as telochaetus sp. n. A diagnosis is provided for male, female and pupal exuviae of Psectrocladius (s.str.) oxyura, and male Orthocladius (Euorthocladius) telochaetus is described. A provisional key for the separation of female Psectrocladius spp. is appended.]