ZOOSYSTEMATICA ROSSICA ISSN 2410-0226 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg ▪ https://www.zin.ru/journals/zsr/ [ onl ine] 0320-9180 Vol. 30(1): 25–39 ▪ Published online 8 May 2021 ▪ DOI 10.31610/zsr/2021.30.1.25 [ print] RESEARCH ARTICLE Flies of the family Dolichopodidae (Diptera: Brachycera), excluding the Microphorinae and Parathalassinae, from the Maltese Islands with notes on their habitats and phenology Двукрылые семейства Dolichopodidae (Diptera: Brachycera), исключая Microphorinae и Parathalassinae, для Мальтийского архипелага, с заме- чаниями по биотопам и фенологии M.J. Ebejer М.Дж. Эбейер Martin J. Ebejer, Entomology Section – Department of Natural Sciences, National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NP, United Kingdom. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. All 41 species of Dolichopodidae in 22 genera (excluding one species each in the subfamilies Microphorinae and Parathalassinae) known to occur on the Maltese Islands are reviewed, with 31 of these being recorded for the first time. Habitat preferences and flight periods of the species recorded are tabulated and discussed. Резюме. Приведен аннотированный список семейства Dolichopodidae для островов Мальтий- ского архипелага. Список включает 41 вид из 22 родов (но не включает два вида из подсемейств Microphorinae и Parathalassinae); 31 вид отмечен для архипелага впервые. Для отмеченных видов приводятся и обсуждаются данные по биотопической приуроченности и по срокам встречаемо - сти имаго. Key words: long-legged flies, faunistics, distribution, phenology, habitat, the Mediterranean, Malta, Doli- chopodidae, new records Ключевые слова: мухи-зеленушки, фаунистика, распространение, фенология, биотоп, Среди- зем номорье, Мальта, Dolichopodidae, новые находки ZooBank Article LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2569E918-E9B4-4C7E-ACE5-1FF0D22AFFC9 Introduction theless it remains an important family and a useful bioindicator of habitat quality. The Dolichopodidae is one of the largest fami- Very little is published about the Dolichopo- lies of Diptera with over 8000 described species didae of the Maltese Islands and indeed also for worldwide, almost all of which are carnivorous in many countries and islands of the Mediterranean both the adult and the larval stage. Diversity is where the presence and distribution of many spe- highest in humid temperate forested zones and the cies remains inadequately known. The aim of tropics. Although in the Mediterranean the Doli- this article is to provide records of the 41 species chopodidae is comparatively less speciose, none- pre sent on the islands, including more complete © 2021 Zoological Institute RAS and the Author(s) M.J. Ebejer. Dolichopodidae of the Maltese Islands records of the ten previously recorded species. their habitat is disturbed. The same characteris- Comments on habitats and phenology are included tics, however, make dolichopodid flies potentially and summarised in tables. The species Microphor useful as “markers” of habitats and habitat quality holosericeus (Meigen, 1804) (Microphorinae) and from the point of view of conservation even if the Eothalassius merzi (Gatt, 2003) (Parathalassi- habitat in question is small (e.g. Pollet et al., 1992). nae) are not considered further in this article be- Although this article does not aim to address this cause at the time this study was undertaken they point, it provides a basis for further work. were classified as families in their own right and no data relevant to this article were collected. Ecological variables The earliest records of Dolichopodidae from the Maltese Islands date back to the middle of the 19th The wet season is from the beginning of Octo- century. Zetterstedt (1849) identified a male speci- ber to the end of March, with surface water poten- men sent to him by A. Schembri, an ornithologist tially available in a few localities up to the end of and naturalist, as Rhaphium longiseta (Zetterstedt, June, depending on rainfall (this was the case up 1843), now a synonym of Syntormon denticulatum to about 35 years ago; nowadays it is a rare occur- (Zetterstedt, 1843). Rondani (1859) described rence). The dry season extends from the beginning Orto chile schembrii Rondani, 1859 on the basis of of April to the end of September. Temperatures in the material sent to him from Malta also by Schem- January range from 2 to 18 °C, with the average bri. This is a junior synonym of O. soccata Loew, daytime temperature in the middle of the day be- 1850. More recently, Rampini (1981) recorded ing around 14 °C. Daytime temperatures regularly Medetera roghii Rampini et Canzoneri, 1979 and reach 36 °C in the summer and can continue so for Schembri et al. (1991) recorded the following six several days at a time. The islands have long hours species, but little data were given: Argyra argyria of sunshine throughout the year. The archipelago (Meigen, 1824), Campsicnemus crinitarsis Strobl, consists of coralline limestone sedimentary rock. 1906, Ortochile soccata Loew, 1850, Sciapus In some places this has a surface layer of blue clay. euzonus (Loew, 1859), Syntormon denticulatum Habitats include the following: pools of very [as S. pumilum (Meigen, 1824)] and Teuchophorus high salinity both exposed to full sun and in par- spinigerellus (Zetterstedt, 1843). Medetera flavipes tial shade; pools of freshwater exposed to full sun, Meigen, 1824, M. micacea Loew, 1857 and Asyn- full shade, but many with part sun part shade; detus transversalis (Becker, 1907) were listed by large areas of garigue exposed to wind and sun – Grichanov (2009) as present on Malta. generally dry all year, except immediately after Several species of Dolichopodidae have a very rain; slow-flowing and fast-flowing freshwater limited distribution on the Maltese Islands and most have a behaviour that appears to limit dis- streams in the valley beds, the quantity of water persal, for example, when compared to Syrphidae. and speed of flow dependent to a large extent on Individuals often restrict themselves to speci- recent rainfall; sandy and rocky coastline; coastal alised microhabitats within a habitat, itself some- sand dunes; small inland wooded areas dominated times very small. A species occupying a particular by Pinus halepensis Mill. with other trees thriv- (micro)habitat may “separate” itself from another ing in smaller communities (these include Quercus species occupying an adjacent (micro)habitat, be- ilex L. and Q. robur L., Ceratonia, Olea, Pistacia, cause of differing ecological factors. These factors Populus, Rhamnus, Laurus, Prunus, Cupressus, are numerous, but field observations suggest that and Crataegus; much of the undergrowth consists even in restricted habitats, shade, humidity, vege- of Hedera, Rubus, Lonicera and Acanthus mollis L., tation, the presence of surface water (its nature with borders and open spaces supporting a large and quality included) and soil type with its cover variety of plant species including Poaceae, Apia- of leaf litter are important variables (Meuffels et ceae and Lamiaceae); large areas of maquis-type al., 1989; Pollet et al., 1989; Pollet, 1992). vegetation that is dominated by Ceratonia, Rubus, These ecological restrictions render whole po- Pistacia, Lonicera and numerous species of herba- pu lations of this family prone to extermination if ceous plants. 26 ( Zoosystematica Rossica, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 25–39 M.J. Ebejer. Dolichopodidae of the Maltese Islands Methods ting was undertaken mostly by sweep nets and all species in all families were kept for further study. The islands were studied mainly between 1991 Habitats were not visited solely for Dolichopo- and 2002 with a view to locating as many habi- didae, although as many as 38 localities yielded tats and habitat types as possible for the study these flies. About 2000 specimens were identified; of Diptera in general. Most localities were visit- 634 voucher specimens were retained and inclu- ed several times during this period to sample for ded in this article. Diptera. Almost all localities contain a number of The main sampling localities are listed in Ta- different habitats. For example, Ramla in Gozo is ble 1 and shown on the map, Fig. 1. Comments on mainly a beach with dunes, but it has a freshwater some localities not mapped are given at Table 1. stream, Tamarix trees, Phragmites beds, Juncus In general, Dolichopodidae have an affinity for on a clay substrate, damp grass patches on clay wet or damp habitats, but if collecting were to be soil and otherwise, numerous herbaceous plants, restricted to such sites, then, inevitably, the few and a rocky shoreline apart from the sandy beach. species associated with dry areas would have been Thus, it presents a number of habitats suitable underrepresented or even missed. Most collecting for different species of Dolichopodidae. Collec- was done between 1991 and 2002 with numerous Fig. 1. Map of the Maltese Islands indicating the main localities sampled (for the names of localities, see Table 1). ( Zoosystematica Rossica, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 25–39 27 M.J. Ebejer. Dolichopodidae of the Maltese Islands field trips, often visiting more than one locality on In the species list that follows, the genera and the same day. All sites were visited at least once in species are given in alphabetical order under each all the 12 months of the year, but not necessarily subfamily. Two species, one of Medetera Fischer in each consecutive year. Excursions were least in von Waldheim, 1819 and one of Rhaphium Mei- August and most frequent in March, April, Octo- gen, 1803, could not be identified. They belong ber and November. to species groups that are in need of revision The abbreviations for collectors’ names and (I.Ya. Grichanov, pers. comm.). A single specimen museum codons are as follows: AB – Albert Bezzi- of Diaphorus Meigen, 1824 was sent to C.E. Dyte na (Malta), AP – Adrian Plant (Mahasarakham, for identification, but has been lost and its identity Thailand), BM – Bernhard Merz (Geneva, Swit- to species remains unknown. zerland), CED – Charles E. (Peter) Dyte (Slough, The material for each species is listed in UK), CF – Charles Farrugia (Antwerp, Belgium), chronological order.