Form described by Langton, 1991
Diagnosis (n=3)
Exuviae 5.6-6.1mm long.
Cephalothorax: Thoracic horn 375-413µm long, curved shortly after the base, more or less parallel-sided or widened towards apex, toothed; ThR 4.4-5.9. Plastron plate offset at horn apex, with a clear rim; plate 17x10-23x20µm, 0.05-0.06x horn length, 4.5x width neck, 0.41-0.57x maximum width rim. Respiratory atrium thin-walled, at most a little undulate marginally, variously reduced (not even joined to the small plastron plate in two of the three exuviae) (025j.jpg); width atrium 0.5-0.64x horn width.
Note: These three exuviae collected in one of the most northern lochs on the Scottish mainland, because of the varied reduction in horn atrium and small plastron plate suggest an extreme habitat variant. At first they were attributed to Zavrelimyia barbatipes (see Langton, 1990a), but Zavrelimyia melanura seems more likely, a species common in Scotland. However, the variation in thoracic horn is similar to that found in Macropelopia fehlmanni and the colour pattern seems different from the other species here included, so it is possible that this form represents a further species (though it has to be admitted that the colour pattern, as in Zavrelimyia melanura, Zavrelimyia barbatipes and Zavrelimyia signatipennis, is indistinct).
Abdomen: Postero-lateral corners of abdominal segments with a somewhat triangular pale area (more distinct in darker exuviae) bounded by setae D2, D4 and lateral taeniae. Tergite and sternite VIII with extensive shagreen, covering much, or all, the tergite. Pleura of tergites III-V with spinulation extending over most of the segment length. Anterior lateral taenia of segment VII at 0.43-0.44 of length segment VII. Anterior lateral taenia of segment VIII at 0.26-0.29 of length segment VIII.
Anal segment: Anal lobes toothed strongly both externally beyond the lateral taeniae and internally, both margins convexly narrowed to apex. Anal lobe ratio 3.3-3.4. Insertion of anterior anal taenia at 0.33-0.36 of lobe length.
Form keys out at Page 98: Tanypodinae 84 Zavrelimyia of the Text Key.
Distribution
Great Britain.
(For more information see module IdentifyIt – file: Other subfamilies).
Ecological notes
Loch Hope, Scotland.