Posted by KWQ on 16-07-2009 18:02
#1
I wonder if there is any dipterist/specialist here who has experiences about other species of European
Aulacigaster than the common
leucopeza.
Let's see first if such a person turns up, if so, I will continue later on with my question...
Posted by Jan Willem on 16-07-2009 18:15
#2
To be honest, I have no experience with the "common"
A. leucopeza. But are you sure you are dealing with this species? The others look rather similar. The specimens I collected turned out to belong to another species in the genus:
A. falcata. I don't know if this is enough to show your question :)?
Posted by KWQ on 16-07-2009 19:21
#3
Sure it is;)!
In Finland
leucopeza has traditionally been the only recorded species of the genus (found in about 5 provinces). But last summer the situation changed when a collector called Iiro Kakko took a specimen from Ab: Ruissalo (south-western Finland).
Since this specimen certainly wasn't
leucopeza I got hold of the Dipteron (2001) article of the genus written by Kassebeer: Die einheimischen Arten der Gattung
Aulacigaster...
And when comparing my (female) specimen with the pictures of the article (particularly the middle-sized shining parts in the frons, which are bigger than in
leucopeza , smaller than in
falcata and
pappi but not touching the eyes), it turned out to be closest to
A. neoleucopeza which Kassebeer supposed to be only a nearctic species!
Later I remember to have checked the situation from Fauna Europaea and I recall that there might have been a find of
neoleucopeza from Andorra too, but it is still quite far away from here!
So, I'd be greatly interested in hearing whether anyone in central or northern Europe has seen something like this or has any idea as to the number of the species of
Aulacigaster in these regions of Europe?
Posted by phil withers on 17-07-2009 11:32
#4
The situation is indeed a bit confused: whether
neoleucopeza is genuinely only nearctic is uncertain. I have material which appears to be this from France, for example. I also have another species which is none of those covered in current literature. They are quite frquent in wine/beer traps, although females greatly outnumber males. For the moment, it would be prudent to record only species based on males...
Posted by KWQ on 17-07-2009 17:57
#5
Many thanks, Phil!
Let's see if there will be even more "aulacigastridologists" with their records turning up...
It may well be, that there is an undescribed species making the situation in the genus more complicated.