A review of of the Holarctic Sepedon fuscipennis and S. spinipes groups with description of a new species (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

Abstract

Two holarctically distributed species groups of Sepedon, S. fuscipennis (5 spp.) and spinipes (2 spp.) are reviewed. The diagnostic characters of all species are compared and the distinguishing structures of the male terminalia are illustrated. The Palaearctic Sepedon hecate sp. nov. is described and compared with the Nearctic species of the S. fuscipennis group. The new species is distributed mainly in the East Palaearctic but apparently penetrates to Central Europe. A detailed study of the male terminalia of the Palaearctic S. spinipes spinipes (Scopoli, 1763) and the Nearctic S. spinipes americana Steyskal, 1951 shows that the Nearctic taxon actually represents a well distinguished species, S. americana Steyskal, 1951, stat. nov.