A Dataset of Pipunculidae and Psilidae (Diptera) in Some Regions of European Russia

Abstract

This dataset presents results of a study on Pipunculidae and Psilidae (Diptera) conducted in 2018–2024 across eight regions of European Russia. A total of 87 localities were surveyed. In total, 1358 specimens were reliably identified, including 1122 Pipunculidae and 236 Psilidae, representing 102 species (79 and 23 species, respectively). Of these, 397 specimens were females (29.2%). For most of the studied regions, all recorded species represent new records for their faunas. In the Republic of Mordovia, 68 species of Pipunculidae and 18 species of Psilidae are reported as new to the regional fauna. These data supplement previously published species lists for these families. Dorylomorpha clavipes and Dorylomorpha sachalinensis are recorded for the first time in the European part of Russia and in Europe as a whole. Previously, Dorylomorpha clavipes had been reported only from the southern Russian Far East, while Dorylomorpha sachalinensis was known exclusively from Sakhalin Island. The highest abundance among the examined material was observed for four species: Tomosvaryella minuscula (Pipunculidae)—288 specimens; Tomosvaryella sylvatica (Pipunculidae)—216; Dasydorylas holosericeus (Pipunculidae)—116; and Chamaepsila nigricornis (Psilidae)—102. Yellow pan traps were used at 69 localities and yielded 63 species and 590 specimens. Malaise traps were deployed at 11 localities and yielded 72 species based on 721 specimens. The highest species richness and specimen abundance were recorded in edge habitats of pine forests and in forest glades along lake shores.

1. Introduction

Insects represent one of the most species-rich groups of invertebrates, inhabiting virtually all terrestrial ecosystems across the globe [1]. Their ecological roles are highly diverse and significant: they contribute to the decomposition of organic matter, act as pests, serve as pollinators, transmit dangerous diseases, and perform numerous other ecological functions [2,3]. However, there is increasing evidence of a gradual decline in biodiversity within ecosystems, accompanied by reductions in population abundance and contractions of distribution ranges in many insect groups worldwide [4,5,6,7]. Primarily, vulnerable and rare species are affected; however, these processes are increasingly impacting more common species as well, making this a major concern in recent years. At the same time, there is an ongoing spread (invasion) of species that adapt to climate change and anthropogenic environments, actively colonizing agricultural landscapes and urban areas and expanding beyond their native ranges [8,9,10].

In recent years, numerous factors influencing changes in insect population structure and abundance have been identified. These include urbanization, habitat pollution, and climate change, which can lead to large-scale natural disturbances [7,11,12,13,14,15]. Understanding these processes requires long-term knowledge of regional faunas, which is essential for identifying vulnerable and rare species, monitoring invasive species and pests, and assessing population dynamics [7,16,17]. Accordingly, detailed studies of regional and local invertebrate faunas, including faunal inventories and long-term population monitoring, are necessary [14,18].

Diptera is one of the most significant orders of insects. Its representatives are ubiquitous in terrestrial ecosystems (with larvae of some species forming a major component of benthic communities in rivers and lakes) and have considerable economic importance [19]. The family Pipunculidae is a distinctive group characterized by a disproportionately large, hemispherical head with prominent compound eyes, as well as a specialized parasitic life cycle associated with particular groups of insects, particularly Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera) and Tipulidae (Diptera) [20,21,22]. The family Psilidae comprises mostly small- to medium-sized flies with slender bodies; in some species, the body is black, while in others it is yellow. Their wings are typically transparent and unspotted. These flies inhabit a wide range of environments, commonly occurring on herbaceous vegetation. The larvae are phytosaprophagous, developing in decaying plant material such as fallen leaves, fruits, and vegetables. Some species are recognized as agricultural pests [23,24,25].

According to recent review publications, approximately 170 species of Pipunculidae [26] and 83 species of Psilidae [27] have been recorded in the fauna of Russia. The fauna of these families is best studied in the Russian Far East, whereas knowledge of Pipunculidae and Psilidae biodiversity in the European part of Russia remains fragmentary, scattered, and insufficiently informative [28,29]. The aim of our research is to study the occurrence and species diversity, as well as the biology of Pipunculidae and Psilidae species in the European part of Russia, using recently obtained data.

2. Data Description

2.1. Dataset Description

Data from the dataset can be uploaded as a single XLSX file to GBIF (https://doi.org/10.15468/dp7f5k) [30]. It contains 599 rows, and each row represents a set of data. The columns contained in it are as follows (

Table 1. Description of the data in the dataset.

Column Label	Column Description
occurrenceID	An identifier for the occurrence (as opposed to a particular digital record of the occurrence)
basisOfRecord	The specific nature of the data record: HumanObservation
eventDate	The date when material from the trap was collected or the range of dates during which the trap collected material
scientificNam	The full scientific name, including the genus name and the lowest level of taxonomic rank, with the authority
kingdom	The full scientific name of the kingdom in which the taxon is classified
family	The full scientific name of the family in which the dwc:Taxon is classified.
decimalLatitude	The geographic latitude of the location in decimal degrees
decimalLongitude	The geographic longitude (in decimal degrees, using the spatial reference system given in dwc:geodeticDatum)
country	The name of the country in which the location occurs
countryCode	The standard code for the country in which the location occurs.
individualCount	The number of individuals represented present at the time of the occurrence
sex	The sex of the biological individual(s) represented in the occurrence
year	The integer year in which the event occurred
month	The ordinal month in which the event occurred
day	The integer day of the month on which the event occurred
samplingEffort	The amount of effort expended during a dwc:Event
recordedBy	A person, group, or organization responsible for recording the original occurrence
identifiedBy	A list of names of people who assigned the taxon to the subject
locality_original	The specific description of the place; this term may contain information modified from the original to correct perceived errors or standardize the description
samplingProtocol	The names of the methods or protocols used during an event
georeferenceSources	A list of maps, gazetteers, or other resources used to georeference the Location
coordinateUncertaintyInMeters	The maximum uncertainty distance in meters
geodeticDatum	The ellipsoid, geodetic datum, or spatial reference system (SRS) upon which the geographic coordinates given in decimalLatitude and decimalLongitude are based
stateProvince	The name of the next smaller administrative region than the country (state, province, canton, department, region, etc.) in which the dcterms:Location occurred
habitat	A category or description of the habitat in which the Event occurred

) [30].

2.2. Species Diversity

A total of 1358 specimens of Pipunculidae (1122) and Psilidae (236) were reliably identified, representing 102 species (79 and 23 species, respectively) (

Table 2. Species diversity and abundance of Pipunculidae and Psilidae across different regions (based on the dataset).

Species	RM	NR	RR	UR	VlR	VrR	RT	SR	Total of Specimens	Total of Localities
PIPUNCULIDAE
Beckerias pannonicus (Aczél, 1939)	2 *								2	2
Cephalops aeneus Fallén, 1810	4 *			1 *					5	5
Cephalops vittipes (Zetterstedt, 1844)	5 *	8 *							13	6
Chalarus brevicaudis Jervis, 1992	16 *								16	3
Chalarus decorus Jervis, 1992	15 *	7 *							22	6
Chalarus elegantulus Jervis 1992	1 *	1 *							2	2
Chalarus exiguus (Haliday, 1833)	1 *								1	1
Chalarus fimbriatus Coe, 1966	1 *								1	1
Chalarus griseus Coe, 1966	1 *								1	1
Chalarus indistinctus Jervis, 1992	12 *	3 *							15	4
Chalarus juliae Jervis, 1992	2 *								2	2
Chalarus latifrons Hardy, 1943	1 *								1	1
Chalarus leticiae Kehlmaier, 2003	2 *	1 *							3	2
Chalarus longicaudis Jervis, 1992	1 *								1	1
Chalarus spurius (Fallén, 1816)	6 *	6 *			2 *				14	8
Claraeola melanostola (Becker, 1897)	1 *								1	1
Clistoabdominalis dilatatus (De Meyer, 1997)	2 *								2	1
Clistoabdominalis fusculus (Zetterstedt, 1844)	3 *		3 *						6	4
Dasydorylas holosericeus (Becker, 1897)	29 *	3 *	1 *	82 *			1 *		116	20
Dorylomorpha aczeli Hardy, 1947	3 *	2 *							5	5
Dorylomorpha albitarsis (Zetterstedt, 1844)	6 *								6	2
Dorylomorpha beckeri (Aczél, 1939)	12 *								12	1
Dorylomorpha clavipes Kuznetzov, 1993 *	2 *								2	1
Dorylomorpha confusa (Verrall, 1901)	5 *								5	2
Dorylomorpha extricata (Collin, 1937)	1 *								1	1
Dorylomorpha hackmani Albrecht, 1979	1 *								1	1
Dorylomorpha hungarica (Aczél, 1939)					1 *				1	1
Dorylomorpha imparata (Collin, 1937)		1 *							1	1
Dorylomorpha maculata (Walker, 1834)	3 *								3	2
Dorylomorpha occidens (Hardy, 1939)	1 *								1	1
Dorylomorpha onegensis Albrecht, 1978	2 *								2	1
Dorylomorpha platystylis Albrecht, 1979			1 *						1	1
Dorylomorpha praetermissa Albrecht, 1979		3 *							3	3
Dorylomorpha sachalinensis Albrecht, 1990 *	1 *								1	1
Dorylomorpha xanthopus (Thomson, 1870)		3 *							3	1
Eudorylas arcanus Coe, 1966	1 *								1	1
Eudorylas coloratus (Becker, 1897)	2 *								2	1
Eudorylas doczkali (Kehlmaier, 2005)	1 *								1	1
Eudorylas furvulus Collin, 1956		1 *	3 *	4 *					8	7
Eudorylas fuscipes (Zetterstedt, 1844)	1 *				1 *				2	2
Eudorylas goennersdorfensis Dempewolf & Dunk, 1996	10 *		1 *						11	3
Eudorylas montium (Becker, 1897)	2 *								2	2
Eudorylas obliquus Coe, 1966	12 *			1 *					13	6
Eudorylas obscurus Coe, 1966	6 *	1 *							7	2
Eudorylas restrictus Coe, 1966	4 *								4	2
Eudorylas ruralis (Meigen, 1824)	1 *								1	1
Eudorylas slovacus Kozánek, 1993	33 *	1 *		1 *					35	5
Eudorylas subfascipes Collin, 1956	1 *	1 *							2	2
Eudorylas subterminalis Collin, 1956		1 *							1	1
Eudorylas unicolor (Zetterstedt, 1844)	1 *								1	1
Eudorylas zermattensis (Becker, 1897)	8 *	2 *	1 *	2 *					13	6
Eudorylas zonellus Collin, 1956	2 *								2	2
Nephrocerus lapponicus Zetterstedt, 1838								2 *	2	1
Parabeckerias obtusinervis (Zetterstedt, 1884)	1 *								1	1
Pipunculus calceatus Von Roser, 1840	15 *	2 *							17	6
Pipunculus campestris Latreille, 1802	2		1 *	2 *			1 *		6	5
Pipunculus elegans Egger, 1860			1 *				1 *		2	2
Pipunculus fonsecai Coe, 1966	9 *	1 *	1 *						11	3
Pipunculus lenis Kuznetzov, 1991	7 *	10 *	1 *	1 *	1 *				20	10
Pipunculus lichtwardti Kozánek, 1981	1 *								1	1
Pipunculus omissinervis Becker, 1889	2 *								2	2
Pipunculus tenuirostris Kozánek, 1981	26 *	2 *	2 *	1 *					31	17
Semicephalops carinatus (Verrall, 1901)	1 *								1	1
Semicephalops grandimembranus De Meyer, 1989	1 *								1	1
Semicephalops straminipes (Becker, 1900)	4 *								4	1
Semicephalops subultimus Collin, 1956	9 *								9	6
Semicephalops ultimus (Becker, 1900)	6 *			2 *					8	5
Semicephalops varipes (Meigen, 1824)	7 *			3 *					10	6
Semicephalops varius (Cresson, 1911)	21 *		1 *	12 *					34	11
Tomosvaryella coquilletti (Kertész, 1907)	7 *	1 *	3 *	1 *	6 *	1 *			19	11
Tomosvaryella estebani Withers & Claude, 2021	8 *		1 *			1 *			10	7
Tomosvaryella geniculata (Meigen, 1824)			2 *						2	2
Tomosvaryella kuthyi Aczél, 1944	1 *			5 *					6	2
Tomosvaryella minuscula Collin 1956	195 *	3 *	79 *	1 *	9 *	1 *			288	29
Tomosvaryella palliditarsis (Collin, 1931)	9 *		10 *						19	9
Tomosvaryella sylvatica (Meigen, 1824)	144 *	16 *	26 *	3 *	27 *				216	30
Verrallia aucta (Fallén, 1817)	18 *	2 *	1 *						21	7
Verrallia fasciata (Roser, 1840)	1 *								1	1
Verrallia villosa (Roser, 1840)	2 *								2	1
Total of specimens Pipunculidae	724	82	139	122	47	3	3	2	1122
Total of species Pipunculidae	69	25	19	16	7	3	3	1	79
PSILIDAE
Chamaepsila buccata (Fallén, 1826)			2 *						2	1
Chamaepsila humeralis (Zetterstedt, 1847)	7 *								7	1
Chamaepsila limbatella (Zetterstedt, 1847)	4 *								4	3
Chamaepsila nigra (Fallén, 1820)	12 *								12	1
Chamaepsila nigricornis (Meigen, 1826)	102 *								102	3
Chamaepsila nigrotaeniata (Strobl, 1899)	11 *								11	2
Chamaepsila obscuritarsis (Loew, 1856)	1 *								1	1
Chamaepsila pallida (Fallén, 1820)	18								18	3
Chamaepsila persimilis (Wakerley, 1959)	1 *								1	1
Chamaepsila pseudobicolor Soós, 1985	1 *								1	1
Chamaepsila rosae (Fabricius, 1794)	10 *			8 *					18	2
Chamaepsila strigata (Collin, 1959)	9 *		1 *						10	4
Chyliza annulipes Macquart, 1835	1								1	1
Chyliza leptogaster (Panzer, 1798)	1 *								1	1
Chyliza nova Collin, 1944	1 *					1 *			2	2
Chyliza vittata Meigen, 1826	1 *								1	1
Imantimyia albiseta (Schrank, 1803)	4 *								4	3
Imantimyia fulviventris Meigen, 1826	3 *								3	2
Imantimyia sylvatica Meigen, 1826	5 *								5	2
Loxocera aristata (Panzer, 1801)	1 *								1	1
Psila fimetaria (Linnaeus, 1761)	25								25	10
Psila merdaria Collin, 1944	5								5	2
Psilosoma lefebvrei (Zetterstedt, 1835)	1 *								1	1
Total of specimens Psilidae	224	0	3	8	0	1	0	0	236
Total of species Psilidae	22	0	2	1	0	1	0	0	23
Total specimens	948	82	142	130	47	4	3	2	1358
Total species	91	25	21	17	7	4	3	1	102

Note: RM—Republic of Mordovia, NR—Nizhny Novgorod Region, RR—Ryazan Region, UR—Ulyanovsk region, VlR—Vladimir Region, VrR—Voronezh Region, RT—Republic of Tatarstan, SR—Samara Region. The “*” sign indicates the species that were first record for the regions.

). Of these, 397 specimens were females (29.2%), while the remaining specimens were males (961; 70.8%).

For most of the studied regions, the recorded species represent new additions to their faunas. For example, in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 25 species of Pipunculidae are reported for the first time, while in the Ryazan Region, 19 species of Pipunculidae and 2 species of Psilidae are new records. Similar patterns were observed in the other regions, except for the Republic of Mordovia, where 68 species of Pipunculidae and 18 species of Psilidae are new to the local fauna. These findings supplement earlier species lists for these families [18]. In our opinion, the differences found in species diversity across the regions are more likely related to the limited knowledge of these groups.

Of particular interest are the following species, Dorylomorpha clavipes and Dorylomorpha sachalinensis, which were recorded for the first time in European Russia and, more broadly, in Europe. Previously, Dorylomorpha clavipes was known only from the southern parts of the Russian Far East, while Dorylomorpha sachalinensis had been reported solely from Sakhalin Island [26,31,32] (Figure 1).

The distribution of species across the eight regions was uneven, reflecting differences in sampling effort. The Republic of Mordovia was the most thoroughly surveyed, with 91 species recorded (69 Pipunculidae and 22 Psilidae) (Table 2). In the other regions, the number of Psilidae specimens collected was very low, whereas the number of Pipunculidae species was relatively high in Nizhny Novgorod Region (25), Ryazan Region (19), and Ulyanovsk Region (16).

Among the studied specimens, four species were particularly abundant: Tomosvaryella minuscula (Pipunculidae)—288 specimens, Tomosvaryella sylvatica (Pipunculidae)—216, Dasydorylas holosericeus (Pipunculidae)—116, and Chamaepsila nigricornis (Psilidae)—102. Together, these species accounted for 53.2% of all specimens collected. Notably, however, Chamaepsila nigricornis was recorded in only three localities, whereas the other three species were found in a much larger number of localities; thus, the former exhibited a more restricted distribution.

Other widely distributed species, recorded in 10 or more localities, include Pipunculus lenis (Pipunculidae), Pipunculus tenuirostris (Pipunculidae), Psila fimetaria (Psilidae), Semicephalops varius (Pipunculidae), and Tomosvaryella coquilletti (Pipunculidae). A considerable number of species were represented by a single specimen in only one locality: 23 Pipunculidae and 8 Psilidae. Additionally, eight Pipunculidae and three Psilidae species were recorded from a single locality but with multiple specimens. The remaining species were found as single individuals in a limited number of localities.

The most widely used sampling method in this study was yellow pan traps. Deployed at 69 localities, they yielded 63 species and 590 specimens. Malaise traps were used in only 11 localities, but they collected 72 species from 721 specimens. We suggest that deploying Malaise traps throughout the entire growing season produces the most effective results, providing a comprehensive assessment of Pipunculidae and Psilidae biodiversity. At the same time, yellow pan traps also proved effective, particularly due to their ease of setup and suitability for deployment in diverse habitats. The utility of these methods for studying Pipunculidae and Psilidae has been noted by other authors as well [33,34,35]. Other sampling methods were considerably less effective (Figure 2).

The highest numbers of species and specimens were recorded in habitats at the edge of pine forests and in forest glades along lake shores (Figure 3). In these habitats, Malaise traps were deployed and proved particularly effective. A substantial number of specimens were also collected in meadows, although species richness there was relatively low (19 species). In contrast, forest glades yielded fewer specimens, but the number of species (29) was higher than in meadows.

3. Methods

3.1. Study Area

The study area covered eight regions of European Russia: the Republic of Mordovia, Samara Region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Ryazan Region, Ulyanovsk Region, Voronezh Region, the Republic of Tatarstan, and Vladimir Region. The total area of the study exceeded 500,000 km² (Figure 4).

Fly specimens were collected across the European part of Russia, within two major physiographic units of the Russian Plain: the Volga Upland (covering parts of the Republic of Mordovia, Samara Region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Ulyanovsk Region, and the Republic of Tatarstan) and the Oka–Don Lowland (covering parts of the Republic of Mordovia, Ryazan Region, Voronezh Region, and Vladimir Region). In these regions, the terrain of the Volga Upland is predominantly hilly, with elevations of 200–300 m above sea level, whereas the Oka–Don Lowland is characterized by flatter relief and generally lower elevations. These territories are among the most urbanized in European Russia, with high population density and extensive agricultural landscapes. The climate is temperate continental, becoming increasingly continental toward the east and south. The western parts of the study area are influenced by Atlantic air masses and cyclones and are therefore relatively more humid. During summer, subtropical air masses from the south may also affect the region, often resulting in droughts. Two of the largest rivers in the region, the Volga and the Don, together with their tributaries, flow through the study area.

Field studies were conducted mainly within forest, forest-steppe, and steppe zones, typically near forested areas, in clearings, and along forest edges. Forest landscapes, primarily mixed and broadleaved forests, predominate in the studied regions. Large, continuous forest tracts are characteristic mainly of the northern parts of the study area, whereas in the southern regions, forests are generally smaller, isolated, and surrounded by agricultural fields, forming an “island-like” pattern [36].

3.2. Data Collection

Field studies were conducted during 2018–2024. Sampling efforts have varied over the years, and the most intensive data was obtained in 2021. Sampling followed standard entomological practices, including the use of sweep nets, pitfall traps, beer traps, pan traps, and Malaise traps [37]. For yellow pan traps, we used yellow plastic bowls with a diameter of 20 cm and a volume of 1 L. Each trap was filled with approximately 500 mL of water, with the addition of a detergent as a surfactant. In each locality (within herbaceous vegetation or on open ground), pan traps were typically arranged in a single line of 10–12 traps, spaced 1–3 m apart. The exposure time ranged from 3 to 7 days.

Malaise traps were homemade; the frame was constructed from wooden supports. Collection containers were filled with 70% ethanol. At each locality, one such trap was installed at forest edges or slightly within forest stands. These traps were sometimes operated from April to October; however, Pipunculidae and Psilidae were only collected until September and were absent from the samples in October. The traps were serviced every 3–12 days. Pitfall traps consisted of standard plastic cups with a volume of 0.5 L, installed flush with the soil surface. A 4% formalin solution (approximately 150 mL) was used as a preservative. Light traps employed a TDM Electric DRV 250 W lamp (4200 K, 4700 lm, E40 base). These were typically installed at forest edges near human settlements, usually small villages surrounded by forest.

All sampling methods were applied during the period of peak activity of flies in European Russia (April–September). During sampling, data on dates, coordinates, habitat type, and original locality names were recorded and entered into a database. For data analysis, results from all habitat types were pooled, and the total number of species and specimens was calculated for each habitat. When analyzing biodiversity and abundance across habitats, small and non-representative samples were excluded (data from fewer than seven localities were not considered). Statistical analyses were performed using standard software packages in Microsoft Excel.

3.3. Taxonomic Analysis

All collected specimens were rinsed and preserved in 70% ethanol (except for specimens collected with sweep nets, which were mounted on entomological pins). In the laboratory, all specimens were identified under a microscope using both alcohol-preserved material and dry pinned specimens. Identification was carried out based on males and/or females, depending on the species. Species identification followed a number of taxonomic references (Pipunculidae [21,31,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49], supported by the fragmented literature mentioned in [35] for Psilidae [24,27,50], supplemented by all those mentioned in [33]). At least one specimen of each species has been added to and is held in the collection of the “Amis de la Réserve Naturelle du lac de Remoray” (Labergement-Sainte-Marie, France), and the rest will subsequently be deposited in the Museum of Lyon (France). Nomenclature is according to Motamedinia et al. [51] for Pipunculidae, and Claude & Tissot [52] and Shatalkin & Ovtshinnikova [53] for Psilidae.

A total of 1975 specimens were processed, of which 1358 were reliably identified to species level by Jocelyn Claude and included in the dataset [30]. In total, material was collected from 87 localities. The remaining specimens were excluded from the dataset due to uncertainty in identification. Species recorded as new for the regions are marked with an asterisk (*).

4. Conclusions

The information obtained expands knowledge about the distribution and biodiversity of Pipunculidae and Psilidae in some regions of European Russia. For the first time, reliable locations of 79 species of Pipunculidae and 23 species of Psilidae within eight regions of European Russia are indicated. In total, 1358 specimens of Pipunculidae (1122) and Psilidae (236), representing 102 species (79 and 23, respectively), have been reliably identified. For most of the studied regions, all recorded species are new to their fauna. Two species (Dorylomorpha clavipes and Dorylomorpha sachalinensis) were found for the first time in the European part of Russia and in Europe as a whole. Numerous species of Pipunculidae and Psilidae have been identified. The largest abundance among the studied specimens was observed in four species: Tomosvaryella minuscula (Pipunculidae), Tomosvaryella sylvatica (Pipunculidae), Dasydorylas holosericeus (Pipunculidae), and Chamaepsila nigricornis (Psilidae). For the first time, an analysis of the preferred biotopes of species in the Pipunculidae and Psilidae families was carried out in the studied territory. The analysis of the occurrence of Pipunculidae and Psilidae during trapping in various types of traps was also carried out. Due to the poorly studied nature of these families, many aspects of their biology remain unknown, and this should be a priority in future research. In the practice of studying the two families, it is necessary to use Malaise traps and yellow pan traps.