The sequoia-loving sprite, a new genus and species of fungus gnat (Diptera, Mycetophilidae) from California

By

Kerr, Peter

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2014

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

437

Pages

109-126

Subjects

California Floristic Province , fungus gnats , giant sequoia tree , new genus , new species , Sequoiadendron giganteumtella' giant sequoia tree' , Spritella , systematics

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.437.7932

 

Abstract

California is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the world, yet the diversity of fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) remains largely undocumented within the state. A modest survey of these flies has led to the discovery of a new genus and species of gnat that lives alongside one of the most iconic trees in the world, the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Spritella sequoiaphila gen. et sp. n. is described and illustrated and its status among other mycetophilid genera is analyzed and discussed.