Thaumatomyia trifasciata (Zetterstedt, 1848)

Nartshuk, Emilia P., Polevoi, Alexei V. & Przhiboro, Andrey A., 2020, A review of grass flies (Diptera, Chloropidae) of Karelia and Murmansk Province of Russia, Fauna norvegica 40, pp. 47-92 : 64-66

Thaumatomyia trifasciata (Zetterstedt, 1848)

Material examined: Murmansk Province. Lps: 1 female, Borisoglebskii, Hellen ; 1 female, Kuvernöörikoski , Hellen ; 1 female, Trifonovo , Hellen ; 2 males, 3 females, Yläluostari , 8.VII.1929, Lindberg ( NHMH); 3 females, Langvatn, 4.VIII.2008, Humala ( FRIP); 2 females, Lotta River, Platonoff; Lt: 3 females, Polyarnyi , 17.VI.1926, Barovskii ( ZISP), Hellen ( NHMH); 1 female, Tyuva-Guba, 23.VIII.1923, Fridolin; 1 female , Murmansk, 15.VI.1910, Fedotov ( ZISP); 2 females, Kola, Hellen; 1 male, 50 km W of Verhnetulomskii, 9.VIII.1967, Meinander ( NHMH); Lmur: 2 males, Gavrilovo, Hellen ( NHMH); 1 female, Tumannyi, 14.VII.1974, Kasparyan ( ZISP); 1 male, 2 females, Voroninsk, Palmen ( NHMH); 1 female, Lake Seidozero, 31.VII.1974, Kasparyan ( ZISP); Lim: about 20 specimens, Island Telyachii and Luvenga, VII–VIII.1987 –1993, Przhiboro; 1 male, 1 female, Island Berezhnoi Vlasov, 16.VIII.1993, Przhiboro ( ZISP); 12 females, Monchegorsk, 20–24.VII.1995, Kozlov ( ZISP); 1 male, Belaya Guba, Frey ( NHMH); 2 females, Lake Malyi Vudjavr , 4–30.VII.1974, Kasparyan; 7 females, Lake Bolshoi Vudjavr , 14.IX.1930, 30.VI.1931, 9–25.VII.1934, Fridolin; 6 females, Yuksporrjok River, 24.VII.1974, Kasparyan; 2 females, Khibiny, 17.VII.1926, Barovskii ( ZISP); 2 females, Kandalaksha, Frey & Hellen ( NHMH); 1 female, Kolvitsa, 9.VIII.1995, Gorodkov ( ZISP); Lp: 1 male, 2 females, Ponoi, Frey ( NHMH) . Karelia. Ks: 1 male, Nuorunen Mountain, 12.VII.1990, Jakovlev ( FRIP); Kk: 1 male, 2 females, Primorskii, 17.VIII.1996, Przhiboro; 1 female, Nikol’skaya Bay , 28.VII.1996, Przhiboro; 22 males, 35 females, Kartesh, 16–20. VII.1966, Tanasijtshuk, 23.VII.1975, Gorodkov, 6.VIII.1982, Zaitzev, 27.VII–16.VIII.1989, Sugonyaev, 14.VII.1992, 4.VIII–21.VIII.1996, 18.VI.1997, 28.VI–23.VII.2000, 16–27.VI.2002, 4.IX.2005, Przhiboro, 20–24.VII.2010, Nartshuk; 2 larvae, 17 pupae (reared to adults), 21.VIII.1996, 2.X.1996, 6–8.VII.2000, 3.X.2003, 22.V.2004, 4.IX.2005, Kartesh, Przhiboro ( ZISP); 20–25.VII.1996, Polevoi ( FRIP); 2 females, Keret’, 13.VIII.1966, Tanasijtshuk ( ZISP); 1 female, Chupa, 30.VI.2000, Przhiboro ( ZISP); 11 females, Gridino, 7.VII–5. VIII.2007, Polevoi; 1 female, Island Pezhostrov, 7.VIII.2006, Polevoi; 1 female, Sonostrov, 6.VIII.2006, Polevoi; 23 males, 45 females, Syrovatka, 16–22.VII.2003, Polevoi ( FRIP); Kpoc: 3 females, Lake Levi , 4.VII.1998, Polevoi; 2 females, Ladvozero, 11.VII.1996, Polevoi; 1 female, Nesterova Mountain , 23.VI.2000, Polevoi; 2 females, Island Lodeinyi, 21.VII.2001, Humala; 7 females, Island Nemetskii Kuzov, 17.VII.2001, 22.VIII.2002, Humala; 1 female, Island Russkii Kuzov, 18.VII.2001, Humala ( FRIP); Kpor: 1 female, Island Myagostrov, 14.VIII.2002, Humala ( FRIP); 2 males, 4 females, Segezha, 4.VII.1921, Olonets Expedition, 29.VII.1996, Gorodkov ( ZISP); Kon : 1 male, 5 females, Shaidoma, 10–11.VIII.2018, Polevoi; 1 male, 3 females, Lake Shuyal , 8–9.VII.2006, Polevoi; 1 male, 2 females, Kurgenitsy, 18.VII.2000, Polevoi; 1 male, 4 females, Konchezero, 24–26.VIII.2011, 4.VII.2012, Polevoi ( FRIP); Kl: 1 male, Salmi, Westerlund ( NHMH); Kol : 2 males, 2 females, Vidlitsa, 4.IX.2018, Polevoi; 1 female, Ust’e

Fauna norvegica 40: 47–92. 2020

Tuloksy, 5.IX.2018, Polevoi; 3 females, Lososinnoe, 9–13.VII.2012, Polevoi ( FRIP) ; 1 female, Petrozavodsk, Günther; 1 female, Olonets, 27.VII.1942, Tiensuu ( NHMH) ; 2 females, Sheltozero, 15.VII.2006, Polevoi ( FRIP) ; Kton: 2 females, Shoikapolda River, 22.VIII.2006, Polevoi; 1 female, Vozritsy, 1.VIII.2002, Polevoi ( FRIP) .

Published records: Murmansk Province. Lps: Pechenga, Vuoremijärvi; Ks: Kuolajärvi ( Nartshuk 1999a). Karelia. Ks: Paanajärvi; Kk: Chupa; Kpoc: Segozero ( Krogerus 1960; Nartshuk 1999a).

Distribution: Holarctic arcto-boreal species.

Biological notes: Wetlands and the sea intertidal zone (mostly tidal meadows). Larvae carnivorous, live between the plant roots, feeding on root aphids. The only Thaumatomyia species, which is common at the White Sea shores as adults. Larvae of only this Thaumatomyia species are common in the upper intertidal zone of the White Sea, where they are associated mostly with the aphid species Colopha compressa (Koch, 1856) and, more rarely, with Pemphigus bursarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Przhiboro unpubl. data).

Distribution and Zoogeography

The study region is extending for nearly 10 degrees from the southern border of Karelia to the coast of the Arctic Ocean and basically lies in the limits of Southern, Middle and Northern boreal vegetation zones. Boreal forests cover most of this territory leaving only a relatively narrow stripe along the Barents Sea coast occupied by tundra. This territory was covered by glaciation during the Riss period and recolonization started after the retreat of the glaciers, nearly 10–12 thousand years ago. The main route of colonization was from south to north. Certain species have acclimatized in different parts of the territory probably due to individual tolerance to the climatic condition, first of all, to low temperature.

In the boreal zone, only a few species of Chloropidae are associated with forests. Larvae of the genus Gaurax develop in rotting wood, larvae of Hapleginella laevifrons , in damaged coniferous cones. Tricimba cincta is often reared from fungi. There are no exact data on food substrates of these species, but these may include mycelia, macerated wood or dead insects occurring in the same microhabitats. Other species of Chloropidae occurring in the boreal zone inhabit different meadows, forest edges, and clearings with grasses as well as bogs, fens and marshes with sedges.

Northern melanism is known in some light-coloured species of Chloropidae occurring on the Kola Peninsula. Specimens of Gaurax , especially females, collected in northern localities, have nearly all body black. Specimens of Chlorops speciosus , C. meigenii , Diplotoxa messoria , Thaumatomyia trifasciata , Pseudopachychaeta ruficeps from northern localities have their black stripes on the thorax wide and nearly fused, basal segment of antennae black and legs partly black.

The recent fauna of Chloropidae of Karelia and Murmansk Province includes species having various range types: species with multiregional distribution, including Afrotropical and/or Oriental regions besides the Palaearctic, account for 3.7%, Holarctic species – 16.5%, Transpalaearctic boreal – 24.8%, Eurasian – 33%, European (including Euro-Caucasian-Kazakhstanian) – 22%. A higher percentage of Holarctic species in the regional fauna (16.5%) in comparison with that in the fauna of the entire Palaearctic (no more than 10%) agrees well with the zoogeographical structure of the Chloropidae fauna in other northern countries.

The distribution of frit flies in the study territory is still inadequately known; many species are recorded only from one or two

Nartshuk, Polevoi and Przhiboro: A review of grassfiles of Karelia and Murmansk, Russia localities. Probably some of them are rare or stenotopic, e.g. Incertella karteshensis , Chlorops centromaculatus , C. serenus , Diplotoxa dalmatina , Lasiosina albipila , Eribolus hungaricus , E. slesvicensis , Gaurax leucarista , G. venustus , Calamoncosis oscinella (the three last ones are known only from one-two localities in the other parts of Europe). The remaining species may appear to be more common in the future. All recorded species can be tentatively divided into four main groups characterized by different distribution patterns according to the northern border of their ranges on the study territory. These groups may be characterized as follows.

1. Widely distributed species recorded from the whole study territory, including the extreme North. These are species with the widest, holarctic and transpalaeartic boreal ranges. Many of them (e.g., most of the phytophagous species of the subfamily Chloropinae and even Thaumatomyia spp. with carnivorous larvae) are associated predominantly with Cyperaceae . Most of these species reach the northern limits of the Northern Boreal zone but some ( Oscinella frit , Chlorops planifrons , C. scutellaris , Melanum laterale , Pseudopachychaeta ruficeps , Thaumatomyia trifasciata ) occur in the tundra zone as well ( Nartshuk 2005).

The following species belong to this group. Subfamily Oscinellinae : Aphanotrigonum trilineatum , Conioscinella frontella , C. livida , Elachiptera cornuta , E. diastema , Hapleginella laevifrons , Incertella albipalpis , I. kerteszi , I. nigrifrons , Microcercis trigonella , Oscinella frit , O. nitidissima , Polyodaspis ruficornis , Rhopalopterum atricillum , R. femorale , Siphonella oscinina , Tricimba cincta . Subfamily Chloropinae : Cetema cereris , Chlorops meigenii , C. planifrons , C. rossicus , C. scutellaris , C. speciosus , C. troglodytes , Melanum laterale , Meromyza mosquensis , M. saltatrix , Pseudopachychaeta ruficeps , Thaumatomyia glabra , T. trifasciata .

2. Species widely distributed in Karelia, but reaching the southern border of Murmansk Province at the most. With some exceptions, this assemblage includes common meadow species predominantly associated with grasses ( Poaceae ). In more northern localities, these species are gradually substituted by wetland species associated with sedges ( Cyperaceae ). Subfamily Oscinellinae : Aphanotrigonum nigripes , Conioscinella sordidella , Elachiptera tuberculifera , Eribolus nana , Oscinella cariciphila , O. pusilla , Dicraeus fennicus . Subfamily Chloropinae : Chlorops limbatus , C. hypostigma , C. varsoviensis , C. geminatus , C. figuratus , C. pumilionis , Diplotoxa messoria , Meromyza ornata , M. pratorum , Neohaplegis tarsata , Pseudopachychaeta approximatonervis , Thaumatomyia hallandica , T. notata .

3. Species distributed up to the northern border of the biogeographical province Karelia pomorica occidentalis (approximately the latitude of the Solovetsk Islands). This group includes a few species associated with cereals and one species associated with reed ( Phragmites australis ), its northern border accords well with the northern border of the host plant range ( Hultén 1971). Subfamily Oscinellinae : Lasiambia palposa , Oscinella nigerrima . Subfamily Chloropinae : Platycephala planifrons , Meromyza nigriventris , Chlorops scalaris , C. hypostigma , Thaumatomyia rufa .

4. Species found only in the southern part of Karelia, reaching approximately the northern border of the Boreonemoral zone. This group includes species with European, Euro-Caucasian and Euro-Mediterranean ranges possibly representing a nemoral element of the fauna. Although some of these species are found only in one or two localities in southern Karelia, they all are included here based on

Fauna norvegica 40: 47–92. 2020

Nartshuk, Polevoi and Przhiboro: A review of grassfiles of Karelia and Murmansk, Russia their distributions in the neighboring regions. Subfamily Oscinellinae : Aphanotrigonum cinctellum , Calamoncosis aprica , Conioscinella gallarum , C. mimula , Oscinella maura , O. trochanterata , Speccafrons halophila , Trachysiphonella ruficeps , T. scutellata . Subfamily Chloropinae : Cetema simile , Chlorops anthracophagoides , C. frontosus , C. gracilis , C. laetus , C. ringens , Lasiosina herpini , Meromyza nigriseta , M. triangulina .

As in many other groups of insects, the number of Chloropidae species in Fennoscandia gradually decreases northwards ( Nartshuk & Andersson 2013). In Karelia and Murmansk Province this trend is less distinct due to unequal knowledge of the territory ( Figure 2 ), however, the species composition is significantly impoverished north of latitude 64–65ºN, which approximately coincides with the northern border of the Middle boreal zone. Hence, a large number of species reaches the northern limit of their distribution in Karelia while only 38 species (35.2%) were found north of the Arctic Circle (66°33′N). It is clearly seen that species occurring throughout Karelia and those reaching the northern part of the Kola Peninsula mainly have wide holarctic and transpalaearctic ranges, while species recorded only in the southern part of Karelia mostly have a European and Euro-Mediterranean distribution.

The similarity between the Chloropidae fauna of the north-European regions is displayed in the NMDS diagram ( Figure 3 ), which almost perfectly mirrors the geographical position of the countries under comparison. The first and second axes in this case approximately coincide with the directions South-North and West- East. The Russian part of Fennoscandia (Karelia and Murmansk Province) is more similar to Leningrad Province, Estonia, Latvia and Finland. This result indicates that the study territory has been recolonized mainly from the south and partly from the south-east. Thus, the species groups discussed above reflect the rate of colonization by different species and, probably, their tolerance to low temperatures. Only the following species are most likely of eastern origin: Polyodaspis ruficornis , Chlorops kirigaminensis and Lasiosina parvipennis . They are common and abundant in the East Palaearctic but are rather rare or absent in the western part of Europe. On the other hand, Norway and especially Sweden share many species with Germany and Great Britain. Such southern elements probably penetrated into the Scandinavian Peninsula via Denmark and, to date, they are not expanding further than its southern part ( Aphanotrigonum inerme Collin, 1946 , Dicraeus raptus (Haliday, 1838) , Gaurax flavomaculatus ( Duda, 1933) , Incertella antennata (Collin, 1946) , Oscinimorpha albisetosa (Duda, 1932) , Oscinisoma gilvipes (Loew, 1858) , Chlorops dasycerus Loew, 1866 , Eurina lurida Meigen, 1830 , Meromyza bohemica Fedoseeva, 1962 , M. femorata Macquart, 1835 , Parectecephala longicornis (Fallén, 1820)) . Some of the southern (nemoral) species are recorded only on islands (Öland, Gotland, Bornholm): Dicraeus raptus , D. ingratus (Loew, 1866) , Chlorops finitimus Becker, 1910 , C. pallidiventris ( Duda, 1933) , C. pannonicus Strobl, 1893 , Chloropsina distinguenda (Frey, 1909) , C. rohaceki Nartshuk, 2000 , Neohaplegis glabra Duda, 1933 . These species are probably a remnant of the fauna of the interglacial xerothermic period and preserved due to a warmer present-day climate on islands compared to the mainland Scandinavia. Finland occupies an intermediate position on the diagram and is situated a little closer to the “eastern” group of countries. This may indicate the primarily south-eastern origin of its fauna with an admixture of south-western species.

A number of species has been described from the northern parts of Fennoscandia. Probably they are examples of relatively

Fauna norvegica 40: 47–92. 2020

late speciation in the northern boreal zone: Conioscinella abiskoi Nartshuk & Andersson, 2013 , C. tornensis Nartshuk & Andersson, 2013 , C. messaurea Nartshuk & Andersson, 2013 , Aphanotrigonum norrbotticum Nartshuk & Andersson, 2013 (from northern Sweden) and Incertella karteshensis (from northern Karelia).Two dendrophilous species of Gaurax demonstrate a curious pattern of distribution: G. venustus is associated with aspen wood and found in Karelia and G. flavomaculatus is associated with broad-leaved trees and found in Norway ( Nartshuk, 2008). Both species are not recorded in adjacent territories of Fennoscandia but are known from Central Europe ( Austria and Hungary, Germany and Switzerland, respectively). However, taking into account the principal rarity of Gaurax spp. , these species may really be more widely distributed.

Figures

Figure 2. The number of Chloropidae species recorded in biogeographical provinces of the Russian part of Fennoscandia.

Figure 3. NMDS diagram (stress=0.15), showing similarity (Dice measure) between the Chloropidae fauna of north-European regions.