Review of East Palaearctic Elliptera (Diptera, Limoniidae) immatures with description of a new species

Abstract

The genus Elliptera Schiner, 1863 is represented by ten species worldwide, but immatures of only the European species E. omissa Schiner has been described so far. Molecular methods were used to associate larvae and adults for two East Asian species from South Korea. Elliptera jacoti Alexander and E. zipanguensis zipanguensis Alexander are common species in aquatic, hygropetric habitats in mountainous parts of the Korean peninsula. Elliptera mongolica Podeniene, Podenas & Gelhaus sp. nov. from Mongolia and China (Inner Mongolia) is described based on mitochondrial DNA COI gene barcode sequences and morphological characters of larvae. Larvae of all three species and pupae of E. jacoti are described and illustrated. Morphological characters of the larvae useful for discrimination of species are given. An identification key for East Asian larvae of the genus Elliptera is compiled.

Keywords

• crane fly
• integrative taxonomy
• larva
• mt COI
• pupa