11,,APtu6.43ERITATIONCOMMITTEE

Alan E Stubbs

A Institute ofTerrestrial

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Provisional atlas of the ptychopteridcraneflies (Diptera: Ptychopteridae)of Britain and Ireland

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Provisional atlas of theptychopterid craneflies(Diptera: Ptychopteridae)of Britain and Ireland

Alan E Stubbs(Peterborough)

INSTIT' ' -FRRESTRIALECOLOGYBUSt . ENICUIKMIDLuSH26 OQB

Edited for the Biological Records Centreby Paul T Harding and Julian C M Dring

Biological Records CentreNERC Institute of Terrestrial EcologyMonks WoodHuntingdon

INSTITUTE OF TERRESTRIALECOLO6VBUSH ESTATE. PENICUIKWIT 0, 1..ti A °

Citation information:

Stubbs, A.E. 1993. Provisional atlas of the ptychopteridcraneflies (Diptera: Ptychopteridae)of Britain and Ireland,edited for the Biological Records Centre by P T Harding &J C M Dring. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre.

INSTITUTE OF TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGYBUSH ESTATE, PENICU1KMIDLOTHIANEN26 OGB

o \01%

CONTENTS

PrefacePage

5

Introduction 6Species status 6Future recording 7

Identification 8Key to British and Irish species of Ptychoptera 9Identification of females of P. contaminata and P. albirnana 12Identification of females of lacustris and minuta groups 12The European fauna 15

Early stages 18

Distribution maps and species accounts 21Overall coverage of Ptychopteridae records 23Ptychoptera albimana 24Ptychoptera contaminata 25Ptychoptera lacustris 26Ptychoptera longicauda 27Ptychoptera minuta 28Ptychoptera paludosa 29Ptychoptera scutellaris 30

Acknowledgements 31

References 32

Species index 34

á

PREFACE

This Atlas is the second to coversections of the cranefly fauna ofBritain and Ireland. It follows closelyon the publication, by the BiologicalRecords Centre in 1992, of theProvisional atlas of the long-palpedcraneflies (Diptera: Tipulinae) ofBritain and Ireland. The datacompiled by the CraneflyRecording Scheme are described inthat Atlas and it includes mapswhich summarise the data up to1984.

The Ptychoptendae Atlas wasprepared concurrently with theTip ulinae Atlas, but it has beenpossible to update the maps as faras possible within new publicationdeadlines. This update has drawnon a growing body of computeriseddata (using the RECORDER datamanagement package) whichinclude those from the formerNature Conservancy Council'sWelsh Peatlands InvertebrateSurvey and East Anglian Fens

Invertebrate Survey, and fromseveral Diptera Recording Schemesfield meetings. In addition, themajority of the data on record cardsand in other forms have been usedin the update.

The Atlas summarises data receivedand processed to the end of 1992.The notes on the European faunainclude a species described as newto science early in 1993.

The Ptychopteridae are a distinctivefamily of flies whose species, atleast the males, are easy to identifyeven in the field. Keys to adults areincluded in this Atlas and it is hopedthey will provide a stimulus torecorders to improve the coverageof the family. Most of the speciesare good indicators of habitatquality and are useful in siteevaluation where standing water orstreams are present.

Alan E Stubbs June 1993

6

INTRODUCTION

The Ptychopteridae are a distinctivefamily of flies which is representedby the single genus Ptychoptera.There are seven species in Britainand one less in Ireland. Superficiallythey resemble Tipulidae (truecraneflies) and have been includedin the species covered by theCranefly Recording Scheme,although the evolutionaryrelationship is not close.

This Atlas updates an earlier paper(Stubbs 1972) which was the firstcomprehensive review to bepublished on the distribution of agenus of insects based on BiologicalRecords Centre (BRC) maps. Thispaper on Ptychoptera acted as amodel, which demonstrated that arecording scheme for selectedgroups of Diptera was a practicalproposition. It led to the formation ofthe Cranefly Recording Scheme,covering more than 300 specieswithin the families Tipulidae,Trichoceridae, Anisopodidae andPtychopteridae, which was launchedin 1973 when BRC produced recordcards for craneflies.

Knowledge of the Irish fauna hasbeen updated by Speight andO'Connor (1981), the only reviewconcerning the Ptychoptera fauna ofBritain or Ireland to have beenpublished in the last 20 years.

The present Atlas providesdistribution maps for the seven

Ptychoptera species, together with astatement on the habitat, seasonaloccurrence and any features of thedistribution illustrated by the maps.These maps summarise the majorityof the data currently available forwhich there are grid references.

Keys to adults of the species ofPtychoptera occurring in Britain andIreland are supplemented by noteson the other European species.

It is hoped, at a later stage, toproduce new keys to larvae.

Species status

BRC maps, such as those in thisAtlas, assist in the assessment of thenational and regional status ofspecies, with any necessaryallowance for the extent and biasesin coverage by recorders. Thescarcer species are often regardedto be of particular importance inevaluating the conservation value ofsites.

None of the species of Ptychopteraqualify for inclusion in the British RedData Book for insects (Shirt 1987).The rarest species, P. longicauda, islisted by Falk (1991) as being'notable' (a category which hasbeen defined for species whichoccur or are likely to occur in 16-100 10 km squares in Britain).Several species have a very

localised occurrence in someregions, for example P. contamihatain Scotland and P. scutellaris inWales and south-west Scotland.Further details of the definition ofspecies status are given in theProvisional atlas of long-palpedcraneflies (Stubbs 1992).

Future recording

It is hoped that the keys, maps andother information in this Atlas will actas a stimulus to further recordingand other studies of Ptychoptera inBritain and Ireland. There isconsiderable potential forimprovement of the coveragesummarised in the maps, andfurther clarification is needed of thehabitat requirements of speciessuch as P. minuta, P. scutellaris andP. longicauda.

7

8

IDENTIFICATION

Ptychoptera species resemble craneflies (Tipulidae) in having long legs.They are black, sometimes with wing spots, and sometimes with orangemarkings on the abdomen. The typical body length for the genus is 8-15mm. There are very few Tipulidae of that size which are black or black andorange. The wing venation (below) is unlike that of any member of theTipulidae, notably in having only one anal vein (which strongly curves downapica.11y, well beyond the wing base) and in the presence of a vena spuria (afalse vein running through r-m; there is another very weak vena spuriabetween veins Cu and A).

Anal veinFalse veins

In the field, the posture of adults is characteristic of the genus. The wingsare held in a delta shape (at about 450to the body axis), slightly raised andwith the plane of the wings angled inwards. In flight, they slightly resembleichneumonids. Once recognised, these flies are very distinctive.

The adults are normally found near potential breeding sites such as marshyseepages, swampy woodland, ditches, streams, ponds and lakes, butoccasional individuals may be found as strays some distance from water.Most black Tipulidae in such situations have a discal cell in the wing, buteven Pedicia immaculata, which lacks this cell, has a very different wingvenation, particularly the two anal veins (and no wing spots).

Key to the British and Irish species of Ptychoptera

Both sexes of the two commonest species (P. albimana and P. contarninata)are easy to identify. The males of the other species are also readilyrecognised, but the females are more difficult. Illustrations of male genitaliashow a dorsal view. Dead specimens may show some distortion of the malestyles, particularly in P. lacustris.

1. Wings with intense blackmarkings and with vein Rs verylong (between 3 and 4 timeslength of r-m), clearly visible inclear zone between spots.

Wings with shorter Rs, confinedwithin a black spot or wingmarkings not intense.

Wings with faint or moderatemarkings; Rs of intermediatelength (about twice as long asr-m), gently bowed, rarelyentirely covered by a spot. Sidesof thorax with silvery pubescentareas and scutellum usuallypartly yellow.

rill

..

R,

.••

• .:--1. •••

. ..

2. Wings with intense black wingmarkings; Rs very short with

,right-angled bend and confined .,within a black spot. Sides ofthorax without silvery areas andscutellum dark.

.

.

•:

R.

,V

contaminata

2

3

6

9

10

3. Males (genitalia with pairedprocesses as illustrated).

Females (paired blade-likeovipositor). (See notes below)

4. Abdomen black (but check othercharacters). Male styles withouter knob.

Abdomen with orange markings.Male styles without .outer knob. 5

5. Male styles short.

Male styles very long.

4

Key to lacustris group

paludosa male

lacustris male

longicauda male

6. Abdomen usually with orangemarkings. Hind tarsi with basalsegment whitish yellow (mostobvious in females). Wing spotsusually distinct (though not asintense as previous species).First basal cell with plentifulmacrotrichia in front half.

Abdomen always entirely black.Hind tarsi with basal segmentdark. Wing spots faint or absent(as occasionally in albimana).First basal cell almost entirelyfree of macrotrichia.

7. Males (genitalia with pairedprocesses as illustrated).

Females (paired blade-likeovipositor).

8. Male styles with outer knob.

Male styles lacking an outerknob.

First basal cell

albirnana male

8

Key to minuta group

minuta male

\

scutellaris male

1 1

12

Identification of females of P. contaminata andP. albimana

The females of these two species are easy to identify. Both species haveyellow markings on the abdomen and therefore could be confused onlywith P. lacustris and P. longicauda.

In P. contarninata the vein Rs is clearly longer than in either P. lacustris orP. longicauda. However, the intense dark markings of P. lacustris andP. longicauda are superficially similar to P. contaminata so that it is essentialto check that the vein Rs is long and runs between two dark spots whilstbeing clear in the middle.

P. albimana has less intense wing markings, some specimens having feeblemarkings similar to those in P. minuta and P. scutellaris, but in the latter twospecies the abdomen is entirely black. Female P. albimana usually havedistinct pale bases to the hind tarsi.

Identification of females of lacustris and minuta groups

Apart from P. albimana and P. contaminata, it has become widely acceptedthat female Ptychoptera cannot be identified accurately to species level.Some continental literature, notably Peus (1958) and Zwyrket (1971),illustrates the sub-genital plates and the spermatheca, but the differencesbetween closely allied species are slight and the illustrations ofspermathecae are not consistent between the two authors.

Surprisingly, previous authors have not recognised that the antennae andthe distribution of wing trichia provide good characters, and this Atlasprovides the first published means of separating females using thesecharacters. The wing trichia are on the wing membrane. The termmacrotrichia is used in this key because these are larger than themicrotrichia of the wings of hoverflies (Syrphidae); the distinction is used inthe fungus gnat (IVlycetophilidae) genus Macrocera, where both typesoccur. Nevertheless, caution is necessary and, for this reason, theprovisional keys to females are given separately and not in the main key tospecies. Experience will show whether or not the characters used aresatisfactory. An earlier difficulty in describing the lacustris group was thatno female specimens of P. longicauda were available for study, butspecimens have now been obtained.

Those who are not experienced in comparing the relative lengths offeatures should be warned that such apparently simple characters canprove deceptive without the aid of a graticule or grid in the microscopeeye-piece. Wmg macrotrichia can be seen with a x 20 hand lens.

lacustris group

Freeman (1950) followed earlier practice with a key in which specimenswith a black abdomen were referred to P. paludosa, whereas those withyellow markings were regarded to be P. lacustris or P. longicauda. Manyfemale specimens of P. lacustris have reduced orange markings, andentirely black females of P. lacustris have been recorded mating withnormally coloured males.

Provisional key to females of the lacustris group

1. Second basal cell in apical fifthextensively covered inmacrotrichia. Antennal segment3 equal to or slightly exceedingsegments 4 + 5. (Abdomenusually yellow marked but canbe entirely black).

Second basal cell with fewmacrotrichia, even at apex.Antennal segment 3 longer thansegments 4 + 5.

2. Cell below second basal cellalmost bare in front of faintvena spuria; cell beyond withfew macrotrichia in basal half.(Abdomen yellow marked butpotentially could be entirelyblack).

3 4 + 5

lacustris female

3 4 + 5

2

longicauda female

13

14

Cell below second basal cellwith macrotrichia at apex; cellbeyond well covered inmacrotrichia. (Abdomen alwaysentirely black, but other speciescan be similar).

minuta group

In typical specimens, the two species are easily separated on the basis ofdifferences in the relative length of the antennal segments. However, it isnot uncommon to come across individuals with fusion of some antenna'segments or other aberrations, in particular specimens of P. minuta canhave segments 3 and 4 fused. Normally, there is a total of 15 antennalsegments. If there are appear to be fewer than 15 segments, some fusion ofsegements may have taken place. There are also differences in thedistribution of wing macrotrichia, but it would seem unwise to rely totally onthe small differences involved. Hence, in the absence of males, it is best toobtain several females, and to be satisfied that both characters areconsistent in at least two specimens and on both left and right sides of theinsects. Further confusion is possible because both P. minuta andP. scutellaris can occur together. Records based solely on females shouldbe made only where there is complete confidence in the identification.

Provisional key to females of the minuta group

1. Antennae with segment 3 equalto segments 4 + 5 and about 1times the length of 1 + 2. Wmgvein R1 about apex withoutmacrotrichia on membraneeither side.

3 RI

paludosa female

minuta female

Antennae with segment 3 verylong, equal to 4 + 5 + 6 and 2tdmes the length of 1 + 2 (butminuta can have 3 + 4 fused!).Wing vein R1 about apex withmacrotrichia on membraneeither side.

The European fauna

hugoi

A total of 13 species of Ptychoptera have been recorded from Europe and afurther one occurs on the Mediterranean fringe of North Africa. These includeseveral species added as new to science in recent years. It is possible thatadditional species of Ptychoptera could be found in Britain or Ireland, as, forexample, there have been several East European Tipulidae discovered inEngland during the last 20 years. These notes on the additional species whichoccur in continental Europe are primarily designed for experiencedrecorders.

1. Sides of thorax with silvery pubescence (allies of P. minuta and P. scutellaris)

There are two species in this groUp.

P. hugoiTjeder 1968This species has been described from the northern parts of Norway andSweden. It resembles P. scutellaris except that the palpi are entirely pale(apical segment dark in P. scutellafis).

P. obscure (Peus 1958)Known only from the type area, Berlin. The simplest distinguishing featureis the yellow scape (basal segment of the antenna) but the following areasare also yellow (rather than dark) - clypeus, pedicel, pronotum and dorso-pleural membrane. The abdomen is dull brownish. The form of the malegenitalia is very different from other species, but because of damage to thespecimen, the styles seem to be missing.

scutellaris female

scutellaris obscura

15

16

Sides of thorax without silvery pubescence 2 and 3

2. Sides of thorax at least partly yellow and the antennae also partly yellow.No known British species have such characters though the generalappearance is rather similar to P. lacustris.

There are three species in this group.

P. handfirchi (Czizek 1919)The most frequent of the European species with partly yellow pleurae.

P. silvicola Zwyrtek & Roskosny 1967Described from easternmost Slovakia. Closely resembles P. handlirchi.

P. surcoufi (Seguy 1925)Known from Algeria (thus not European). The pleurae are entirelyyellow and the third tergite mainly so.

3. Sides of thorax black

handlirchi silvicola

There are two species in this group.

P. helena (Peus 1958)An ally of P. longicauda described from Greece. The male styles of P.

helena are almost as long as in P. longicauda and a little moresubstantially chitinised than the very flimsy styles of that species. Indorsal view the basal flap-like process between the styles is distinctlybifid in P. helena.

i

helena longicauda

P.agnes Krzeminski & Zwick 1993A species described from Hungary which is related to P. lacustris and P.paludosa. The inner base of the styles has a single spine which is absentin the other species. The styles have a ventral process, rather than thelateral one found in P. paludosa.

ei

agnes

a/

paludosa lacustris

17

18

EARLY STAGES

The larvae of the species occurringin Britain and Ireland weredescribed and illustrated by Brindle(1962, 1966), and Hansen (1982), ina revision of the DanishPtychopteridae, gave a larval key tothe same species, but neither authorincluded P. longicauda. The larvaeof P. longicauda have now beencollected in Britain and it is hoped,at a later stage, to produce newkeys to larvae.

It is easy to recognise Ptychopteralarvae because they have a longsiphon which extends from the hindend of the abdomen. This tail-likeappendage is a retractable,telescopic, breathing tube, which inthe lacustris group can be almostcompletely retracted. The pupaesimilarly have a long breathingtube, which extends vertically fromone side of the head as a stiffthread-like structure. Larvae andpupae are adapted to livesubmerged, but near the surface, insilt and mud in situations such asstreams, pond margins andseepages.

Larvae and pupae may be sievedfrom sediment at or just below

Pupa: Female Ptychoptera contaminate

water level, and they are oftenplentiful once a suitable site isfound. A household flour sieve issuitable for collecting. Larvae orpupae, placed in a small quantity oftheir natural sediment in apolythene bag with plenty of air,remain alive if kept cool in a shadedplace. Dishes, jam jars and othercontainers can be used, but,although larvae and pupae havelong breathing tubes, it is notnecessary to rear them in deepsediment and there should not bewater above the sediment surface.

By searching in April or May, fullygrown larvae may be rearedquickly to pupation and thenthrough to adults. The larvae of themain species groups have differentways of rolling up and have siphonsof different lengths. If larvae arebeing collected, the catch should beseparated into different types as faras possible, with some larvaepreserved in alcohol (or substitute)and the rest reared through. Castpupal skins should be retained forreference.

The rat-tailed maggot larvae ofhoverflies (Syrphidae) belonging to

Larva: Ptychoptera albimana

1 cm

the tribes Eristalini and Sericomyiiniare somewhat similar to the larvaeof Ptychoptera. However, the larvaeof hoverflies are far more compactand can contact into an oval shapeor else remain very soft and flaccid.The body shape of Ptychopteralarvae is cylindrical and elongate,and the larvae tend to roll up whendisturbed.

19

á

DISTRIBUTION MAPS AND SPECIES AccouNTsThe earlier review (Stubbs 1972) was based on records available up to 31December 1969. The coverage map showed that there were records from289 10 km squares. The review covered most of the main sources ofpublished data, and collated data from collectors and some of the mainmuseum collections. A draft Atlas prepared in 1981 summarised data for715 10 km squares.

The present Atlas summarises data for 1043 10 km squares, an increase ofover 350% in coverage since 1969. Most of this increase comes from newfield samples, with a high proportion of the specimens having beenidentified by the author, but with some data submitted by other recorders.Earlier records have been re-evaluated because it has become clear thatsome published records may not be entirely reliable, for example those ofCheetham and Morley.

The Ptychopteridae data held in the computerised database at BRC consistonly of summary 10 km square records compiled from hand-plotted mapsprepared by the author. These hand-plotted maps have symbols forvarious types of source, and also indicate whether or not the sex ofspecimens was recorded. The full data, which are the source of both theauthor's hand-plotted maps and the derived maps prepared by BRC for thisAtlas, are not yet computerised and are held by the author.

The maps in this Atlas summarise the majority of the data for which gridreferences are available. The coverage (Map 1) is of 1043 10 km squares,of which 867 squares are from the period since 1960. Records aresummarised in the maps using the following three simplified categories.

• Records from 1960 onwards for which specimens have been examinedby the author or another specialist.

0 Records from before 1960 only for which specimens have beenexamined by the author or which are based on identifications by aspecialist, whether published or not.

X Records which have not been authenticated by the author or a specialist,most of which date from before 1960.

21

22

The last category includes the following:

• published records by non-specialists;• records for which the sex is not stated;• records of females of species for which a record of a male is now

regarded to be essential for a reliable identification (even if the sourcewas a specialist);

• records which predate taxonomic revisions leading to the splitting ofspecies;

• records from museum card indexes where the validity of the source isnot stated and other data where an element of caution is necessary.These indexes often contain both published and unpublished data and afuture task is to check which data can be supported by voucherspecimens or to assess whether the person who identified thespecimens was reliable;

• records lacking a date or date class;• records which cannot be precisely allocated to a 10 km square.

Map 1 Overall coverage

0 K. 100

1111es ipo

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

ef'.: te;

••

••

•0

•

4.

•

• •

• • •0• X0 • •

XX00 •

•• •

• 0 •0

• X 00 00 •XX OX •X•X*0 00 •0

000 000•X XXX XXOX

X00 :OUX:XX

•,6 • XX00

v.• 6 •: :40.• •• •x• ••• x• iii,xx • 000 00 • • X6 •• •

•OX6 041 0:::Itp

• • •*0 • 00 00 X • 00 •

• 00 X • • • • • • X• 0

•

•

• 867 squares 1960 onwardsO 55 squares before 1960, but not sinceX 121 squares unvalidated records

Total 1043 squares

3.•

0• • • • 004/ 09• • 000 • 00 000 • XO •

• • • • 00 00 009 X XO• 5555 • • • 0 •00

• • • 5000 • 00 • • X X0OS • • ••0 •0 • • 00 • X X00 9 • •041 •0 • 0

• 900 • 009 • • • X•0•

• 0 . :XL 88, 800. x .... •44... • ... OOOOO .. ...... .. .. •p..44•... .: "Sx WM:: °Sr":4.. • • .0. .. .. • • .x x

The overall coverage is as follows, the highest category below beingadopted in those cases where several categories of data are available for a10 km square.

23

24

Map 2 Plychoptera albimana (Fabricius 1787)

0 Km 100

9 Miles lpo

•

•

et.

F

,

• ••

• •xo•o xoe

•

• • •• •

••

• •

•

. 0000• • 000 • oo x

This is the most widespread of our Ptychoptera species, probably occurringin all districts except the most acid areas and in bleak upland terrain. Itbreeds in mud at seepages, muddy puddles in woodland rides, pondmargins and similar habitats. In southern England two emergence periodshave been recorded at some localities, from mid-April to mid-June and fromlate August to mid-October, but this pattern varies considerably and adultscan be found during the intervening period in many places. Earliest date8 April, latest date 29 October.

Map 3 Ptychoptera contaminata (Linnaeus 1758)

0 Km 1009 Miles ipo

•

4

•

••

• •

0 •

00.: X0

00

•

.X.•

.•00 0

%X .4,•: 00

•

•• • • x• •

• 00 0• OS •4,6 • x

• • • 000 x •• • • • •o • x xx• • • oo •

• • • •••

••

0.

This species is widespread in England in most districts where suitablehabitat with tall emergent vegetation is present. It is a characteristic speciesof ditches on coastal drainage levels and is found around the margins oflowland eutrophic and mesotrophic ponds, lakes, canals and very slow-flowing rivers. Compared with other species, the larvae can occur in moresteeply shelving water edges. There are a few coastal records from Wales.Most of the Scottish records were from around Glasgow, about 90 yearsago, but were almost certainly misidentifications. Specimens were found in1992 beside a canal in West Lothian. There is one record from Irelandbased on material from the Burren. This species is most plentiful from mid-June to mid-August. Earliest date 13 May, latest date 23 September.

25

26

Map 4 Plychoptera lacustris Meigen 1830

o K looMiles lpo

•

•

•

•

••

•

ij.") xx •• 00 •X X

XX XSO •

X XXXXX X

•00 •

•

•• • •

• 00• • :

X

4P

3.

It occurs beside woodland streams throughout much of Britain. The speciesis largely absent from the core upland areas of the Scottish Highlands andWales; in these areas, such silted streams are rare because of the highrainfall, steep terrain and poor soils. Its presence in the Pennines indicatesthat it can tolerate upland areas, at least in sheltered valleys where the soilsare locally suitable. The main habitat is lightly shaded seepages, as well assilted shaded streams, but it occurs occasionally in open seepage marshes.Where the woodland canopy is dense, casting heavy shade, P. lacustris isinfrequent and tends to be replaced by P. paludosa. This species is usuallymost plentiful from mid-May through into June. Earliest date 6 May, latestdate 27 September.

Map 5 Plychoptera longicauda (Tonnoir 1919)

0 Km loo9 miles

4

This is the rarest species, with a concentration of records from theCotswolds and the Forest of Dean. At least half of the localities areobviously calcareous and it seems probable that, if the Cotswolds wereexplored at the right time of year, it would be found to be widespread. Allthe post-1960 records are from partly silted, woodland streams. Theecological relationship with P. lacustris should be investigated. The peakadult flight period would seem to be in July and August. Earliest date 22June, latest date 9 September.

27

28

Map 6 Ptychoptera minuta Tonnoir 1919

0 Ka 100

Miles 100

•

•

•

4

••

•

•

X • X •.• X

III •

• • ox•

•• •

••

<3'

• ••

• 0 •

••

It has become apparent that this species is much more frequent than waspreviously thought. It is associated with standing water and can occur withP. albimana, P. contaminata or P. scutellaris, but there are distinct differencesof habitat preference and some marked differences in distribution at bothlocal and national levels. Its preferred habitat is eutrophic ponds andswamps, including swamp carr, where organically rich mud or peat occursat the water surface. It is tolerant of a wide pH range, from fairly acid tomoderately calcareous, but tends to be replaced by P. scutellaris in trulybase-rich conditions. In most districts, June and July are probably the peakmonths for P. minuta. Earliest date 2 May, latest date 16 October.

Map 7 Plychoptera paludosa Meigen 1804

0 Km 100

Miles Ipo

4

•

•

•

OS

•

X X

411X •

XX

X X XXX XX

xCC

•

SO

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<30

The distribution of this species is generally similar to that of the allied speciesP. lacustris, but it is found even less often in the upland areas of Scotland andWales. However, reliable records are relatively few and this is the lessfrequent of the two species. Many of the published and other older recordslack voucher material, so it is not known which sex was found. The keys referto the difficulties of identifying females and there is a risk that some of the oldrecords may have been based on misidentified, melanic females ofP. lacustris. P. paludosa inhabits more densely shaded, silted streams thandoes P. lacustris, and it also occurs along the banks of small, shaded, lowlandrivers, a habitat in which P. lacustris has not been recorded. Most records arefrom May and June. Earliest date 13 May, latest date 9 October.

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30

Map 8 Ptychoptera scutellaris Meigen 1818

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3.

The distribution pattern of this species is similar to that of P. minuta, exceptthat it has not been found in Kent and is more localised in Wales.P. scutellaris is present in the Inner Hebrides and the western edge of theScottish Highlands, areas where P. minuta has not yet been discovered. Theecology of this species is not clear; it seems to prefer a relatively high pH,such as in southern calcareous springs and fen can, but it also occurs onbasalts in the Inner Hebrides. May and June are the peak months forP. scutellaris in most districts. Earliest date 1 May, latest date 2 September.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks are passed to all those listedbelow who have contributedrecords and samples over the last20 years. Please forgive the authorif anyone has been omitted byoversight.

Dr K N A Alexander, the late Sir C HAndrewes, D M Appleton,P T Bailey, Dr S G Ball, W B Booker,J Bowden, J H Bratton, A Brindle,J M Brummitt, Dr J E L Butterfield,H Carter, P J Chandler, L Clemons,J H Cole, Dr J C Coulson,Dr P Cranston, R Crossley, the lateP Crow, J Dear, Dr R H L Disney,Dr M Dobson, Dr C M Drake, thelate Sir A Duncan, M Edwards,G R Else, W A Ely, G Glombeck,E G Hancock, G Hosie, A M Hutson,Dr A G Irwin, Dr J W Ismay,Dr P Kirby, the late F H Latham,R Leeke, C Little, Dr I F G McLean,W Massey, V Measday, K Merrifield,S Miles, Mrs M J Morgan, R Nash,M Nelson, M Oates,Mrs M A Palmer, R M Payne,Mrs B van Peperzeel, I Perry,

E G Philp, C W Plant, M Pugh,R Roper, Dr D Sheppard, the lateK Side, P Skidmore, D A Smith,K G V Smith, Dr P J Tilbrook,R Uffen, Dr R I Vane-Wright, the lateG Waller, Dr I M White,P F Whitehead, D Whiteley.

Special thanks are due to R I Vane-Wright and A M Hutson, who in theinitial years of the CraneflyRecording Scheme joined me as co-organisers. The resultant closerelationship of the Natural HistoryMuseum to the Scheme, and indeedthe subsequent wider range ofDiptera schemes, has beeninvaluable. The Museum collectionhas become the main taxonomicunderpinning of the Scheme, andthe recipient of voucher specimens.The author wishes to express histhanks to the Trustees and the staffof the Diptera Section for access tothe collection over the years and forthe friendly co-operation that hasalways been available.

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REFERENCES

Brindle, A. 1962. Taxonomic noteson the larvae of British Diptera 9.The family Ptychopteridae.Entomologist, 95, 212-216.

Brindle, A. 1966. Taxonomic noteson the larvae of British Diptera no.24 - revisional notes. Entomologist,99, 225-227.

Czizek, K. 1919. Die mahrischenformen der Dipteren familieLiriopeidae. Zeitschrift desMJhrischen Landesmuseums, 17,1-16.

Falk, S.J. 1991. A review of thescarce and threatened flies of GreatBritain. (Part 1). (Research andsurvey in nature conservationno.39) Peterborough: NatureConservancy Council.

Freeman, P. 1950. Ptychopteridae.In: Handbook for the identification ofBritish insects, IX(2), 73-76. London:Royal Entomological Society.

Hansen, S.B. 1982. Key to larvae ofDanish Ptychopteridae (Diptera;Nematocera), with notes on habitatpreferences. EntomologiskeMeddeleser, 49, 59-64.

Krzeminski, W. & Zwick, P. 1993.New and little laiownPtychopteridae (Diptera) from thePalaearctic region. Aquatic Insects,15, 65-87.

Peus, F. 1958. 10b, Liriopeidae. In:

Die Fleigen der PalaearktischenRegion, edited by E. Lindner, 3 (1),Lief. 200,10-44.

Rozko§nl., R. 1992. FamilyPtychopteridae (Liriopeidae). In:Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera,edited by A. So6s, L. Papp & P.Oosterbroek, 1, 370-373.Budapest: Hungarian Natural HistorySociety.

Séguy, E. 1925. Description d'unnouveau Paraptychoptera.Encyclopédie Entomologique (B II)Dipt., 2, 22.

Shirt, D.B., ed. 1987. British RedData Books: 2. Insects.Peterborough: Nature ConservancyCouncil:

Speight, M.C.D. & O'Connor, J.P.1981. The Irish Ptychopteridae(Diptera). Bulletin of the IrishBiogeographical Society, 5, 29-37(plus maps).

Stubbs, A.E. 1972. A review ofinformation on the distribution of theBritish species of Ptychoptera (Dipt.:Ptychopteridae). Entomologist, 105,23-38,308-312.

Stubbs, A.E. 1992. Provisional atlasof the long-palped craneflies(Diptera: npulinae) of Britain andIreland. Huntingdon: BiologicalRecords Centre.

Tjeder, B. 1968. Notes on the

Scandinavian Ptychopteridae, withdescription of a new species(Diptera). Opuscula Entomologica,33, 73-79.

Zwyrket, R. 1971. Czechoslovakspecies of the family Ptychopteridae(Diptera). Acta EntomologicaBohemoslovaca, 68, 416-426.

Zwyrket, R. & RoskanY, R. 1967.Ptychoptera silvicola sp. n. - eineneue Ptychopteriden-Art aus derOst-slovakei (Dipera). Acta MuseiMoraviae, Sd. Nat., 52, 197-200.

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SPECIES INDEX

SpeciesPage no

Map/Account Key

Ptychoptera agnes - 17albirnana 24 11contaminata 25 9handlirchi - 16helena - 16hugoi - 15lacustris 26 10,13,17longicauda 27 10,13,16minuta 28 11,14obscura - 15paludosa 29 10,14,17scutellaris 30 11,15silvicola 16surcoufi - 16

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