The genus Pteremis (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) in the West Palaearctic area, with description of four new species

Abstract: The West Palaearctic species of the genus Pteremis Rondani, 1856 (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) are revised, including the type species of the genus and its synonyms. A total of six species are recognized, four of them new – Pteremis fenestralis (Fallén, 1820) (type species, wing polymorphic), P. apterina sp. nov. (apterous, Portugal: Azores), P. canaria (Papp, 1977), P. ferreus sp. nov. (Spain: Canary Is.: El Hierro I.), P. pulliceps sp. nov. (Portugal: Madeira) and P. tenebricus sp. nov. (Spain, male only). In addition, Paraspelobia vlasovi (Duda, 1938) from Turkmenistan is re-examined and transferred to the genus Pteremis as Pteremis vlasovi (Duda, 1938), comb. nov., and the genus Paraspelobia Duda, 1938, syn. nov., is synonymized with Pteremis. All these species are described or redescribed in detail including illustrations of their male and female terminalia. Lectotypes of Borborus nivalis Haliday, 1833 and Pteremis subapterus Frey, 1947 (both being brachypterous forms of P. fenestralis) are designated. The genus Pteremis is newly taxonomically delimited, redefined and redescribed, with discussion of its relationships. A new key to West Palaearctic species of Pteremis is constructed and their relationships, biology and distribution are discussed.

Key words: Diptera, Sphaeroceridae, Limosininae, Pteremis, biology, distribution, key, new combination, new species, new synonym, relationships, taxonomy, Palaearctic Region