Systematics and Phylogeny of Leptomorphus Curtis (Diptera: Mycetophilidae)

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2012
Authors:Borkent, C.J., Wheeler T.A.
Journal:Zootaxa
Volume:3549
Pagination:1-117
Date Published:11/2012
ISSN:1175-5334 (online edition)
Keywords:distribution, fungus gnats, genus revision, morphology, new species, Sciophilinae, Sciophilini, Taxonomy
Abstract:

The world fauna of the genus Leptomorphus Curtis, 1831 is revised and a phylogeny of species relationships, based on morphological characters, is presented. An updated genus diagnosis and description are given. Species descriptions, diagnoses, illustrations of general habitus, wings, male genitalia and distributions are provided for 37 valid species, along with a key to adults. Twelve new species are described; L. amorimi Borkent, n. sp., L. brandiae Borkent, n. sp., L. crassipilus Borkent, n. sp., L. eberhardi Borkent, n. sp., and L. waodani Borkent, n. sp., from the Neotropical realm, L. furcatus Borkent, n. sp.,and L. perplexus Borkent, n. sp., from the Nearctic realm, L. mandelai Borkent, n. sp., and L. stigmatus Borkent, n. sp., from the Afrotropical realm, and L. tabatius Borkent, n. sp., L. tagbanua Borkent, n. sp., and L. titiwangsensis Borkent, n. sp., from the Oriental realm. Type specimens were studied for all but three species (L. ornatus, L. subforcipatus and L. talyshensis). Leptomorphus elegans Matile and L. lepidus Matile are considered junior synonyms of L. gracilis Matile, n. syns., and L. ypsilon Johannsen is a junior synonym of L. hyalinus Coquillett, n. syn. Lectotypes are designated for L. magnificus (Johannsen), L. neivai Edwards, and L. walkeri Curtis and a neotype is selected for L. bifasciatus (Say). This study brings the total number of extant Leptomorphus species to 45, including eight, unique (based on figures and descriptions), recently described Oriental and northwestern Australasian species (Papp & Ševčík 2011), for which material was unavailable for this study. The phylogenetic analysis in this study supports the monophyly of Leptomorphus. The western Nearctic species, L. perplexus, is the sister group to the remaining species, which fell into four major monophyletic species groups (L. ornatus Brunetti group, L. grjebinei Matile group, L. walkeri group, L. furcatus group). The monophyletic relationships within each group are also discussed. The clades found in this study do not support the arrangement of species in to the Leptomorphus subgenera recognized by previous classifications.

Refereed Designation:Refereed
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith