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Hello,

I photographed this fly in Bazzano (AQ), Italy, on May 2nd 2019. I think it's a Psychodidae, but is it possible to identify the genus or species from this photo?

Thank you in advance,
Emanuele

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It look s a bit like Clogmia rothschildi. I do not know which resembling species there are in Italy!

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C. latipennis is an Italian Clogmia. I have never seen one, only the description.

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It could be latipennis, and then it's the first picture I have ever seen of it! I have a description (c'è in italiano!).

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I am quite sure about Clogmia latipennis. May I use the picture as reference? Grazie.

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Amazing, thank you very much Weia!


Yes, you can use it. Just one question: where can I find the description of this species?

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I made a picture of the description from 1953. PLease make a list of things you think are visible on your picture and things that aren't. Black hairs on the face is a big difference with C. rothschildi. I hope the rest fits too.

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To be precise: only description of hair and hair pattern are visible on the picture. Genitalia, eye bridge etcetera are not visbile and at the moment not important.

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Thank you. I compared the description with this photo and another one I took at another specimen on May 2nd 2020 in Bazzano (AQ), Italy. I tried to look for similarities, but I'm no expert and I probably interpreted some things wrong, however, the features that in my opinion match are:

-Tufts of white hair at the base of the wing. (Ciuffi di peli bianchi […] alla base dell'ala).
-A large tuft of white hair at the tip of the subcosta (un grande ciuffo all'estremità della subcosta).
-(...) before the tip of cu_1b, where there is a big tuft of white hair similar to the one on the subcosta. ([…] prima dell'estremità di cu_1b, dove vi è un ciuffo grande simile a quello sulla subcosta).
-White fringe of the tip of r₂ to the tip of cu_1b and between cu_1b and a, not pure white in colour. (Frangia alare bianca dell'estremità di r₂ all'estremità di cu_1b, e poi fra cu_1b ed a, peraltro di un bianco non completamente puro.).

I'm not so sure of all the other features regarding the habitus and the wing venation because from the picture I wasn't able to read well the subscripts of the wing veins' names.

The last feature that seems to match comes from the Antennae description: segments of the flagellum of decreasing size towards the tip and "flask-shaped" (Articoli del flagello di dimensioni decrescenti verso l'apice, a forma di fiasco.).

This species is very common especially in May, so I will definitely try to take better photos from other angles whenever possible.

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How is this species distinguished from C. rothschildi?

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Rothschildi does not have that black on/behind the head.

Can you open this" https://waarneming.nl/soort/info/555932

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I had to register, but then I could. Thanks. I see what you mean.

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Did you see them again?

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I'm sorry for the late reply.
I found a few specimens during the winter and only one this spring, but I photographed just one of them on October 27th.

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Photo 2:

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Photo 3:

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Photo 4:

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Photo 5:

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When you find a dead one maybe a taxonomist will be glad to see it. The original decription is said to be 'poor'.

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The species has been photographed in Italy (you), Spain, France south and north, England south and last week Netherlands.
Main difference is the colouring of the thorax, and there is a subtle difference in the white hairs close to the border of the wing. Latipennis also is significantly bigger than rothschildi, at least 25%. Last friday I'v pictured 16 latipennis and 1 rothschildi at the same scale.
Yours definitely is latipennis!

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Thank you very much!

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They are currently not very common, but when I find a dead one, I'll definitely collect it.

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The species is laying eggs in hollow trees, are such trees available where you found them?

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Based on what I remember there are no such trees in the area, but I need to check again.

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Hi I just came accross your wonderful post and pictures here!
I am currently doing my PhD working on Psychodidae in Bonn, Germany at the ZFMK, in the project GBOL III: Dark Taxa.

My Co-Advisor is Dr. Gunnar M. Kvifte an expert on Psychodidae.

I was wondering if you ever collected one or two specimens??

I am working with traditional taxonomy as well as molecular data to try to solve the phylogenetic relationships in the subfamily Psychodinae, and these specimens could be very interesting for the project.

Perhaps we can discover something really iinteresting. I would be very very greatful if you can maybe send me an email to perhaps discuss this a little at santijaumes @ hotmail . com

Cheers,

Santiago

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Hello Santiago, thank you for your request. I will send you an email as soon as possible.

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Hello,

Sorry for hijacking this thread! But a psychodid joined me on my desk (in south Surrey, England) this morning, and it outwardly appears to resemble Clogmia latipennis. That led me to this thread. I was wondering whether this could be confirmed from this photo, and also whether anyone would be able to say how many previous British records there have been? It doesn't appear on the latest version of the British Diptera checklist (28 July 2021). I still have the specimen in case any further examination is required.

Thanks in advance,
James

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There are two British records on Inaturalist, from the south of England. That's all.
To me this one is OK. Maybe you can measure wing length approximately? It should be well over 3 mm.
The description of the species is not very good, so it needs redescription! Maybe your specimen is suitable. Ask Gunnar Kvifte if he likes to receive it.

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And I'ld like to know the location to add it on a map with all known finds.

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That's brilliant, thank you very much! Interestingly, when it was on my desk it was running around next to my ruler (coincidentally), so I was able to get the ruler in some of the photos too and it doesn't appear to be much over 3mm. But when I have a chance, I'll measure the wing length of the specimen more accurately, and I'll also get in touch with Gunnar.

Thanks again!

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The location is Felbridge, south Surrey, OS grid reference TQ342400; lat long 51.143702 , -0.082398676; XY 534236 , 140019.