Posted by Renko on 16-02-2014 11:12
#1
Hello,
A Psychodidae found in North of France, the December 25 2013, near a composter
Can be a
Psychoda ?
Greetings,
Thomas
Posted by Gunnar M Kvifte on 17-02-2014 09:12
#3
Psychoda is correct. The spot of black hairs on the lower part of the wing suggests
P. sigma (syn.
P. surcoufi).
Posted by Renko on 18-02-2014 17:40
#4
Many thanks, Gunnar M Kvifte :)
Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-02-2014 11:27
#5
What is the source for the synonymy, please? Was that Withers (1988) who forgot to aply the priority rules?
Edited by Paul Beuk on 19-02-2014 11:46
Posted by Gunnar M Kvifte on 19-02-2014 16:08
#6
The first synonymy of
sigma and
surcoufi was by Del Rosario (1936); later followed by Withers (1988), Jezek (2003) and myself (Kvifte et al. 2011, Kvifte 2012). The synonymy remains questionable, but there is no concrete evidence in the literature to the contrary: The male of sigma from North America is yet to be figured in the dorsal view, and noone has ever examined specimens of both putative species for differences. The only arguments that have been made for keeping the two species separate are arguments from authority, which is highly unscientific and therefore unsatisfactory (e.g. Quate 1955, citing a pers.comm. from G.H. Satchell).
I am inclined to believe that
surcoufi will turn out to be a valid name once the species group is revised. There are two species described in the
sigma complex from Europe alone,
sigma was described from North America and there are further questionable synonymies from Chile and New Zealand, as well as an uncertain disjunct record from St. Helena. However, until the group has been revised I deem it the best solution to treat it as
Psychoda sigma, or
Psychoda sigma complex.
Edited by Gunnar M Kvifte on 19-02-2014 16:17