New records and first DNA barcodes of the family Canthyloscelidae(Diptera) in Fennoscandia

Abstract

Prior to this study, members of Canthyloscelidae, a small, relict family of nematocerous Diptera, have very occasionally been found in Fennoscandia. This led to the widely accepted opinion of canthyloscelids being rare elements of the regional fauna. New data presented here on the occurrence of the three European species suggest that this picture needs a more differentiated view. We report two localities with abundant catches of Hyperoscelis eximia (Boheman, 1858) by use of Malaise traps, and one locality with abundant catches of Synneuron annulipes Lundström, 1910 by use of light traps. Other records of these two species concern mostly single specimens and are scattered across Fennoscandia. Hyperoscelis veternosa Mamaev & Krivosheina, 1969, represented in our material by only a single female, is the first record in Sweden and the second documented finding in Fennoscandia. All three canthyloscelid species were successfully barcoded with large barcode gaps on The Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), and aligned with public barcodes of the North American Synneuron decipiens Hutson, 1977 in an ID-tree. Decaying logs of Norway spruce, Picea abies, presumably infested with brown rots caused by the bracket fungus Fomitopsis pinicola, were present in the near vicinity of most collecting sites, although the northernmost localities lie far from natural populations of this conifer. It is argued that the current conservation status of Canthyloscelidae in Fennoscandia should be maintained until a better understanding of adult and larval biology allows a more appropriate assessment. We also use the opportunity to emphasize, in our digital age, the crucially important role of depositing voucher specimens in public collections in order to validate records grey published online through photos or DNA barcodes.