Fauna and ecology of Dolichopodidae (Diptera) from Wrangel Island Nature Reserve (Chukotka, Russia)

Abstract

Original data on five Dolichopodidae species from the Wrangel Island resulted from the 2006 and 2015 surveys in the Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve are presented. Two sites in the northern variant of the typical tundra subzone in the central part of the Wrangel (i.e. the middle course of the River Mamontovaya and the upper reaches of the River Neizvestnaya) have been thoroughly studied by use of net sweeping (both seasons) and yellow pan traps (only 2015). In total, about 780 specimens have been sampled on the Wrangel Island. The yellow pan traps have gathered the most part of material, i.e. about 650 specimens. One of the collected species, Dolichopus humilis appears to be the only circum-arctic species of the group. Other species, Chrysotus komovi, Dolichopus terminasianae, Hydrophorus alpinus, and Rhamphium beringiense have mainly a hypoarctic distribution. The latter is the rarest species in the material obtained. It is suggested that the high abundance of dolichopodids during the 2015 survey is related to favourable summer weather conditions due to climate warming since the beginning of the 21st century. Chrysotus komovi and Dolichopus terminasianae are recorded for the first time from the Chukotka Autonomous District. Photographs of habitus and habitats for species recorded from the Wrangel Island are provided.

Keywords

• Arctic
• Diptera
• Dolichopodidae
• ecology
• fauna
• new record
• Palearctic Region
• Wrangel Island