Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Ellipteroides alboscutellata ?
#1
Dear all
A few larvae of this strange looking Eriopterinae were found by a co-worker in a spring near Ulestraten in the southern part of the province of Limburg in The Netherlands on 6.iv.2011 (50.53'57" N, 5.46'21" E). To me it looks like some species of Ellipteroides or Gonomyia, but the literature on these larval species seems non-consistant, i.e. there are some differences. in Ellipteroides the anal lobes are distinct while in Gonomyia the lobes apparently are less protruding. So this appears as an Ellipteroides sp. and E. alboscutellata seems the more likely species. However, the lobes, especially the lateral, as drawn in Savchenko (1982) are not as protruding as in my specimens unlike the drawing in Bangerter (1920) were the lateral lobes are about the same as mine.
In our larvae there are no ventral pseudopods, the dorsal anal lobe is distinctly shorter and slightly pigmented, the lateral lobes are fully pigmented and the ventral lobes are divided.
Any idea?
#2
anal segment in dorsal view
#3
and anal segment showing the (characteristic?) pigmentation and reduced fifth dorsal lobe.
#4
That sheep looks very worried!
#5
well, this scottish black sheep has just become infected by a short-palped-crane-fly.....
#6
Dear Jozef
that book I forgot. I have it as PDF, but forgot to check. However, their drawing nr. 15 (and 16) is exactly the same as from Bangerter (1930 and 1920 resp.). I really think that I have alboscut. but I'm a bit confused about the drawing in Podeniene (2003)/Savchenko (1982) (see below) in which the lateral lobes seems to be less protruding (c=lateralis; d= alboscutellatus). The Bangerter drawings, although poorer in quality, are more realistic in my opinion.
#7
Dear Atylotus
Then Ellipteroides sp. :-)
Limoniidae larvae are quite difficult to ID.
Are any differences in head capsules between these species ?
#8
There is supposed to be a difference in the mandibular teeth. I haven't checked this. In other Limoniid larvae the mandibular teeth are good stable characters, so I will try to look at this.