Fungus gnats (Diptera: Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Keroplatidae, Mycetophilidae) in the Kostomuksha State Nature Reserve, Russia

• Main Author: Alexei V. Polevoi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fund for Support and Development of Protected Areas 2021-04-01
• Series: Nature Conservation Research: Zapovednaâ Nauka
• Subjects: checklist; fauna; rare species; republic of karelia; sciaroidea
• Online Access: http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/307

Fungus gnats represent an informal assemblage of insect families in the superfamily Sciaroidea. This is a highly diverse group comprising nearly 1000 species in Fennoscandia. Fungus gnats are comparatively well studied in the Republic of Karelia, although the coverage is uneven. Hence, any new data from poorly known areas would provide a better background for further analysis of zoogeographical patterns both at local and at Fennoscandian level. With just 100 known species, the fauna of fungus gnats in the Kostomuksha State Nature Reserve has until recently been insufficiently studied. The paper presents the results of faunistic research in the Kostomuksha State Nature Reserve since 1993. The revised checklist is based on original material and includes 177 species of fungus gnats belonging to the families Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Keroplatidae and Mycetophilidae. Eighty-five species were added to the fauna, and eight species were removed from the list. The revealed diversity is comparatively low and most of the recorded taxa are common in Fennoscandia. However, a number of rare and remarkable species was found, indicating a potentially rich fauna. Five species (Mycomya obliqua, Sciophila krysheni, Syntemna morosa, Mycetophila devioides, Mycetophila haruspica) are reported for the first time from the Republic of Karelia and Russia. Mycomya obliqua is also new for the Palaearctic region. All remarkable records are commented, and male genitalia images are provided for poorly known species. Two species of presumably western origin (Sciophila krysheni and Mycetophila devioides) and one Nearctic species (Mycomya obliqua) are discussed in more details. A relatively low diversity is explained by an insufficient earlier collecting activity and concentration of recent Malaise trapping on small islands with a poorer fauna. The need for further studies in the Kostomuksha State Nature Reserve, with a better coverage of habitats and using additional collecting methods, is substantiated.