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Exechiopsis pulchella (Winnertz, 1863) and
Rymosia cottii Tollet, 1959 are members of the tribe Exechiini
of family Mycetophilidae (Diptera: Nematocera). Fungus gnats from this
tribe are known for their occurrence in caves, mostly during hibernation
and estivation.
Exechiopsis pulchella was described by
Winnertz (1863) on the basis of material
from Germany. Species is widely distributed in Europe (Chandler
2011).
The description of Rymosia cottii was made
by Tollet (1959). It was recorded in the
cave Fornet in Swiss kanton Ticino. This species is also distributed in
Hessen (Germany) and Sweden (Plassmann & Zaenker
2005).
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Locality: cave Píla (Figure 1), Tríbeč Mts,
Slovakia, N 48°31’45’’, E 18°34’49’’). Altitude: 482 m, cave length: 104
m, entrance exposition: SE. Specimens were hand-picked, with use of an
exhauster and they were preserved in 75% ethylalcohol. Photographs were
taken under a ZEISS Stemi 2000-C stereomicroscope. Identification of R.
cottii was confirmed by Eberhard Plassmann (The Bavarian State
Collection of Zoology, Germany). Material is deposited in the author’s
personal collection.
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Figure 1.
Ground plan of the Píla cave. |
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Family: Mycetophilidae
Tribe: Exechiini
Exechiopsis pulchella
(Winnertz, 1863) (Figure 2) – material examined (male only): 9.
4. 2011: 1 ♂, leg. et det. Z. Kosejová.
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Figure 2.
Exechiopsis pulchella, male.
A – terminalia, dorsal view;
B – internal view of gonostylus, gst dors: dorsal
appendge of gonostylus, gst vent: ventral appendge of
gonostylus, gst med: medial appendge of gonostylus
(after Kurina 2003;
Scale: 0.1 mm (Drawn by M. Supuka). |
Rymosia cottii
Tollet, 1959 (Figure 3) – material examined (males only): 28.
2. 2010: 1 ♂, 31. 10. 2010: 1 ♂, 4. 12. 2010: 1 ♂, 22. 1. 2011: 4 ♂♂,
19. 2. 2011: 2 ♂♂, 9. 4. 2011: 1 ♂. Total: 10 ♂♂. leg. Z. Kosejová, det.
Z. Kosejová & V. Košel, confirmed by E. Plassmann.
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Figure 3.
Rymosia cottii, ♂ terminalia, ventral view. |
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Exechiopsis pulchella is a widespread but
rare species. It is currently known from: Estonia, Italy (Kurina 2003),
Germany (Weber et al. 2007), Austria,
Belgium, British Isles, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Latvia,
Romania, Switzerland, The Netherlands (Chandler
2011), Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russian Karelia (Kjærandsen 2012).
Old records may be partly mixed with Exechiopsis aemula
Plassmann, 1984. This problem is closely discussed by Kurina (2003).
Zaenker (2008) classified it as eutrogloxen species. Only one male was
found in entrance of Píla cave.
Rymosia cottii is a very rare species (Zaenker
2008). The original description is based on one Swiss male (Tollet
1959). Second record is from Germany – one male was found in entrance of
mine Holzappel (Hessen) (Zaenker 2008).
During my research in the Píla cave this species was
collected only in winter, in distance from 3 to 18 meters from the
entrance. Zaenker (2008) classified it as
eutrogloxen species. The finding of R. cottii in Slovakia
corresponds to this classification – it is a typical cave hibernant, it
seeks for habitats with stable temperature. The material presented here
is relatively large (10 males). Until now no females were collected.
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Chandler PJ, 2011:
Fauna Europaea: Mycetophilidae. Fauna Europaea version 2.4,
http://www.faunaeur.org [visited 17.4.2012].
Kjærandsen J, 2012. Checklist of Nordic fungus gnats (Diptera: Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Ditomyiidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae and Sciarosoma). Version 1.0 2012.01.05,
http://sciaroidea.info/node/48341 [visited 17.4.2012].
Kurina O, 2003: On the validity of the species Exechiopsis aemula Plassmann and Exechiopsis pulchella (Winnertz) (Diptera, Mycetophilidae).
Norwegian Journal of Entomology, 50: 3–10.
Plassmann E & Zaenker S, 2005: Eine erste Bestandaufnahme der Pilzmücken Hessen (Diptera, Sciaroidea: Ditomyiidae, Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae).
Entomofauna, 26 (3): 17–28.
Soos A & Papp L, 1988: Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera. Volume 3. Ceratopogonidae – Mycetophilidae.
Elsevier Science Publishers, 448 pp.
Tollet R, 1959: Contribution a l‘etude des Dipteres cavernicoles des grottes d‘Italie et de Suisse et description de deux Mycetophilidae nouveaux.
Bulletin et Annales de la Societe Royale Belge d‘Entomologie,
Brussels, 95: 205–231.
Weber D, Zaenker S & Plassmann E, 2007: Pilzmücken in Höhlen und künstlichen Höhlräumen. (Diptera Sciaroidea: Ditomyiidae, Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae).
Entomofauna, 28 (11): 125–140.
Winnertz J, 1983: Beitrag zu einer Monographie der Pilzmücken (Mycetophilidae).
Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, pp. 638–964.
Zaenker S, 2008: Das Biospeläologische Kataster von Hessen.
Abhandlungen zur Karst- und Höhlenkunde, 2001 (32) [Fortschreibung zum 12.04.2008]:
DVD, München.
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