Details for Molophilus (Molophilus) ater

Name: Molophilus (Molophilus) ater (Meigen, 1804) Publication: Klass. Beschr. 1: 50 (as Erioptera) Status: Recognized taxon, Synonym(s): eriopterus (Fabricius, 1805); brevipennis Curtis, 1833; limnophilaeformis (Nowicki, 1887). Classification: Family Limoniidae Subfamily Chioneinae Keys: Boardman, 2016 (craneflies Shropshire); Stubbs and Kramer, 2016k; Stubbs, 2021 (British craneflies) Variant spelling(s): atra habitus male habitus male habitus male habitus female habitus female plus 17 more images of habitus, habitus, habitus, hypopygium, hypopygium, hypopygium, hypopygium, ovipositor, wing, habitat, habitat, habitat, habitat, habitat, habitat, habitat and habitat. Distribution: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Rep., Denmark (incl. Faroe Is), Finland, France (incl. Corsica), Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine; Russia: RUN, RUW, RUC, RUE;; Russia: WS (south), ES (south); Kazakhstan (east). Note: see the manual for abbreviations: present-day Russia. Region(s): Westpalaearctic;; Eastpalaearctic General note: Added: Switzerland (Stary and Geiger, 1998a). For Finland check Salmela, 2012b, 2012c, and citations below. For Norway check Olsen et al., 2018, and citations below. For Great Britain and Ireland check Stubbs, 2021, and citations below. Map: Podenas et al., 2006 (Switzerland); Ashe et al., 2007b (Ireland) Figure references: Habitus: Dek et al., 2014 (male); Johnson, 2017 (copula) Hypopygium: Podenas et al., 2006 Citations on biology (mainly from 2000 onward): Bulgaria Habitat. Hubenov, 2025b: suppl: 4 (annotated list Diptera high Bulgarian mts, local distr, habitats and zoogeography). Czech Rep. Habitat. Stary et al., 2013b: 378 (on Limonidae from Vraz near Pisek, with general habitat description). Habitat. Stary and Vonicka, 2018: 56 (on Limoniidae and Pediciidae of two localities in northern Bohemia, with list of localities, altitudes and habitats). Finland Habitat. Salmela and Vartija, 2007: 10 (very common in moist environments, citing Salmela, 2006). Biology. Salmela, 2008: 10, 26, 50 (49) (ecology or habitat: eurytopic, terrestrial; phenology). Habitat. Salmela, 2011a: 1-28 (study on three wetland habitats: aapa mires, springs and headwater streams). France Habitat. Quindroit, 2020b: 139 (loc(s) Pas-de-Calais (62) with notes on habitats and distr) (in French). Habitat. Labat, 2022: 52-67 (preliminary study on Diptera of riparian corridors at several localities in France; supplements: loc(s) Cotes d Armor (22)) (in French). Habitat. Quindroit and Lemoine, 2022a: 27 (loc(s) Aisne (02) with notes on habitats and distr) (in French). Germany Habitat. Lehmann and Reusch, 2009: 122 (from around lowland springs). Phenology. Wagner, 2011b: 372 (a typical spring species). Great Britain Habitat. Coulson and Downie, 2000: 30 (areas of blanket bog which had many pools, typical Erica-Sphagnum mire). Biology. Stubbs, 2003: 12-18 (blanket bog and areas where the peat is better drained and shallower, where the dominant plant is often Juncus squarrosus, citing Hadley, 1969, 1971, including other details about the biology of the species); (important as a food resource for upland birds, for example red grouse [Lagopus lagopus scoticus], referring to Butterfield and Coulson, 1975). Habitat. Boyce, 2004: 31, 59-61, 104 (shows a high fidelity to acid mires, many records are from blanket mires; larvae probably require areas of bare wet peat) Habitat. Alexander, 2005: 2 (upland blanket mires). Habitat. Boardman, 2007: 11 (found on wet moorland and upland bog). Habitat. Alexander, 2012b: 3 (abundant in a lowland wet woodland, also a few in rush pastures; found by the author previously almost entirely in upland peat mire, only once in lowland on cliff-top Molinia mire). Biology. Boardman, 2014a: 5 (loc(s) Shropshire; see paper for details on previous records and/or habitat). Habitat. Stubbs, 2014b: 1-2 (loc(s) Scotland; see paper for details on habitat). Habitat. Brighton, 2017c: 26, 34 (overall regional checklist Lancashire and Cheshire (VC58, 59 and 60) with notes on habitats and/or regional occurrence and/or status; see paper for details). Habitat. Johnson, 2017: 5 (mass emergence, hundreds, and mating on graas and heather). Habitat. Boardman, 2020b: 2 (on a visit to a bog close to Plas-y-brenin, Capel Curig, North Wales on 3 june 2019). Biology. Kramer, 2022b: 12 (drawing attention to the work of Mathew Carroll [2012] from York Uni working on peat uplands; Mathew found that raising the water table by blocking drainage ditches significantly increased cranefly numbers; species identified during his study on moorland in Wales, the Pennines and the North York Moors were Tipula subnodicornis, Tricyphona immaculata, Molophilus ater, Ormosia pseudosimilis, Idioptera pulchella and Limonia dilutior). Latvia Habitat. Salmela and Vartija, 2007: 10 (lake shore forest with rich vegetation). Netherlands Habitat. Dek et al., 2014: 21 (collected in vegetation of mainly Phragmitis and Juncus along a pond) (in Dutch). Norway Habitat. Olsen and Andersen, 2021: 209 (loc(s) Innlandet, in former Hedmark, with habitats specified separately, for habitats see also Jonassen and Andersen, 2020). Poland Habitat. Wiedenska, 2014: 13 (on the occurence of Limoniidae in six selected plant communities in the Kamienica Valley, Gorce National Park, Western Carpathians, found only in bog spring with Caltha-Chaerophyllum) (in Polish, habitat tables also in English). Habitat. Wiedenska, 2017a: 16-17 (faunistic and habitat data of species from the Gorce NP) (in Polish). Romania Habitat. Ujvarosi, 2005a: 241, 246 (common in swamp areas around springs and brooks). Habitat. Ujvarosi and Poti, 2006: 253, 256, 260 (habitat in Dupa Lunca marshland: predominantly at open swampy patches). Habitat. Ujvarosi et al., 2011b: 107 (loc(s) Dupa Lanca marshy area near Voslobeni) (in Hungarian, species list with habitat information in English). Sweden Habitat. Lindstrom and Fritz, 2015: 44, 48 (distributin and ecology in five fens in Hallands County) (in Schwedish). on characters and taxonomy (mainly from 2000 onward): Country not relevant Phylogeny. Ahonen, 2007: 1-28 (included in phylogenetic analysis of Tipuloidea subfamilies relationships based on molecular data). Characters. Dek et al., 2014: 20-21 (colour photo [included above], comparison) (in Dutch). Great Britain Characters. Boardman, 2007: 11 (characters). Italy Characters. Stary and Rohacek, 2015: 99 (discussion on wing reduction). on distribution (mainly from 2000 onward): Belarus First record. Kolcsar et al., 2021b: 159 (loc(s) Vitebsk region). Bulgaria Distribution. Hubenov, 2018a: 16 (on the Diptera of the Vitosha Mt; see paper for details on vegetation belts and local distr). Distribution. Hubenov, 2021a: 32 (checklist with summary of distr in Bulgaria, references). Distribution. Hubenov, 2025b: suppl: 4 (annotated list Diptera high Bulgarian mts, local distr, habitats and zoogeography). Czech Rep. Distribution. Stary et al., 2005a: 28 (loc(s)). Distribution. Stary, 2009i: webpage (checklist). Distribution. Stary et al., 2013b: 378 (on Limonidae from Vraz near Pisek, with general habitat description). Distribution. Stary and Vonicka, 2018: 56 (on Limoniidae and Pediciidae of two localities in northern Bohemia, with list of localities, altitudes and habitats). Denmark Distribution. Petersen and Jong, 2001b: 150 (checklist). Finland Distribution. Salmela, 2001a: 144, 150 (loc(s)). Distribution. Salmela, 2008: 10, 50 (49) (loc(s), known from all Finnish ecoregions). Distribution. Salmela, 2011a: 24 (loc(s) subalpine northern boreal Finland). Distribution. Salmela, 2012b: 238 (annotated list of Finnish crane flies). Distribution. Salmela, 2013: 18 (belongs to the most abundant and frequent cranefly species of Finland, see table above under Habitat). Distribution. Salmela and Petrasiunas, 2014: 25 (checklist Finnish Tipulomorpha). Distribution. Salmela et al., 2015: 103 (list of localities in extensive report on malaise-trapping of insects in conservation areas in Lapland in 2012–2014) (in Finnish). France Distribution. Quindroit, 2020b: 139 (loc(s) Pas-de-Calais (62) with notes on habitats and distr) (in French). Distribution. Labat, 2022: 52-67 (preliminary study on Diptera of riparian corridors at several localities in France; supplements: loc(s) Cotes d Armor (22)) (in French). Distribution. Quindroit and Lemoine, 2022a: 27 (loc(s) Aisne (02) with notes on habitats and distr) (in French). Distribution. Quindroit and Lemoine, 2022a: 36 (table specifying the presence in the five departments of the Hauts-de-France region). Germany Distribution. Schacht, 1999: 135 (checklist Bayern). Distribution. Reusch and Oosterbroek, 2000: 158 (checklist German Bundeslander). Distribution. Reusch and Bellstedt, 2001b: 73 (checklist Thuringen). Distribution. Schacht, 2005: 5 (checklist Bayern). Distribution. Lehmann and Reusch, 2009: 122 (loc(s) Niedersachsen). Distribution. Schacht, 2010: 17 (checklist Diptera Bayern). Distribution. Wagner, 2011b: 372 (dominant at the Breitenbach stream; showing a distinct distribution pattern along the stream with highest species numbers in the mid-stream section). Distribution. Stuke, 2019: 144 (checklist Niedersachsen and Bremen with reference to original sources). Great Britain Distribution. Coulson and Downie, 2000: 30 (loc(s)on the Scottish Flows). Distribution. Boyce, 2004: 31, 59-61, 104 (distr) Distribution. Alexander, 2005: 2 (loc(s) Cornwall). Distribution. Kramer, 2008d: 1 (historical record Scotland). Distribution. Skidmore, 2009: 126 (review of occurrence on the Western Isles of Scotland, distr). Distribution. Alexander, 2012b: 3 (loc(s) Vale of Glamorgan (VC41)). Distribution. Boardman, 2014a: 5 (loc(s) Shropshire; see paper for details on previous records and/or habitat). Distribution. Hewitt, 2014: (provisional checklist Cumbrian Diptera). Distribution. Stubbs, 2014b: 1-2 (loc(s) Scotland; see paper for details on habitat). Distribution. Stiles, 2016: 6 (loc(s) Cambrian Mountains, Norh Wales). Distribution. Brighton, 2017c: 26, 34 (overall regional checklist Lancashire and Cheshire (VC58, 59 and 60) with notes on habitats and/or regional occurrence and/or status; see paper for details). Distribution. Johnson, 2017: 5 (loc(s), new for Orkney). Distribution. Boardman, 2020b: 2 (on a visit to a bog close to Plas-y-brenin, Capel Curig, North Wales on 3 june 2019). Distribution. Kramer, 2022b: 12 (drawing attention to the work of Mathew Carroll [2012] from York Uni working on peat uplands; Mathew found that raising the water table by blocking drainage ditches significantly increased cranefly numbers; species identified during his study on moorland in Wales, the Pennines and the North York Moors were Tipula subnodicornis, Tricyphona immaculata, Molophilus ater, Ormosia pseudosimilis, Idioptera pulchella and Limonia dilutior). Ireland Distribution. Ashe et al., 2007b: 359, 362, 378, 404 (review Irish records, map). Distribution. Chandler et al., 2008: 10 (checklist). Kazakhstan First record. Stary, 2011b: 60 (loc(s) Altay Mts). Distribution. Devyatkov, 2020b: 221 (loc(s) East Kazakhstan, distr) (in Russian). Latvia Distribution. Stary, 2004f: (Fauna Europaea: added Latvia). Distribution. Salmela and Vartija, 2007: 10 (loc(s)). Lithuania Distribution. Pakalniskis et al., 2006: 22 (checklist). Netherlands First record. Theowald, 1971b: 227, 237 (XXX). Distribution. Jong and Oosterbroek, 2002b: 29 (checklist). Distribution. Dek et al., 2014: 21 (loc(s) Zeeland) (in Dutch). Norway Distribution. Olsen et al., 2018: 154-155 (annotated checklist Nordic countries and for Norway according to the Strand regions). Distribution. Olsen and Andersen, 2021: 209 (loc(s) Innlandet, in former Hedmark, with habitats specified separately, for habitats see also Jonassen and Andersen, 2020). Poland Distribution. Wiedenska, 2007a: 76 (checklist). Distribution. Wiedenska, 2010: 134 (loc(s) Parku Krajobrazowego Wzniesien Lodzkich, Lodz). Distribution. Wiedenska, 2014: 13 (on the occurence of Limoniidae in six selected plant communities in the Kamienica Valley, Gorce National Park, Western Carpathians, found only in bog spring with Caltha-Chaerophyllum) (in Polish, habitat tables also in English). Distribution. Wiedenska, 2017a: 16-17 (faunistic and habitat data of species from the Gorce NP) (in Polish). Distribution. Wiedenska and Syratt, 2023: 137 (loc(s) Bieszczady Mountains, distr and remarks). Distribution. Zoralski et al., 2024: 15 (loc(s) Polish Carpatians) (in Polish). Romania Distribution. Ujvarosi and Poti, 2006: 253, 256, 260 (loc(s) eastern Carpathians). Distribution. Ujvarosi, 2007: 228-231 (checklist Limoniidae). Distribution. Ujvarosi et al., 2011b: 107 (loc(s) Dupa Lanca marshy area near Voslobeni) (in Hungarian, species list with habitat information in English). Russia Distribution. Humala and Polevoi, 2008: 133 (loc(s) RUN: Kareliya). Distribution. Humala and Polevoi, 2009: 66 (loc(s) RUN: Kareliya) (in Russian). Distribution. Gavryushin in litt., 2011e: (loc(s) RUN: Murmanskaya oblast). Distribution. Gavryushin in litt., 2012e: (loc(s) RUE: Bashkortostan Rep.). Distribution. Jakovlev et al., 2014: 309 (loc(s) RUN: Kareliya). Distribution. Paramonov and Klepikov, 2014: 35 (loc(s) Yaroslavskaya oblast). Distribution. Paramonov, 2014: 39-43 (revision coll. Eversmann), loc(s) RUE: Tatarstan Rep.) (in Russian. Distribution. Gavryushin in litt., 2015a: (loc(s) RUE: Bashkortostan Rep.). Distribution. Paramonov and Pilipenko, 2016: 97 (loc(s) RUC: Tverskaya oblast) (in Russian). Slovakia Distribution. Stary, 2009d: 29 (loc(s) Polana area). Distribution. Stary, 2009i: webpage (checklist). Sweden Distribution. Lindstrom and Fritz, 2015: 44, 48 (distributin and ecology in five fens in Hallands County) (in Schwedish). Switzerland Distribution. Podenas et al., 2006: 76, 106, 287 (map, vertical distr per thermic level). on flight period (mainly from 2000 onward): Belarus Kolcsar et al., 2021b: month(s): 5. Czech Rep. Stary et al., 2005a: month(s): 5-6. Stary and Vonicka, 2018: month(s): (4)5-6. Finland Salmela, 2001a: month(s): 5. Salmela, 2008: month(s): 6-7. France Quindroit, 2020b: month(s): 4. Quindroit and Lemoine, 2022a: month(s): 5. Great Britain Alexander, 2005: month(s): 5. Alexander, 2012b: month(s): 4. Stubbs, 2014b: month(s): 6. Johnson, 2017: month(s): 5. Ireland Ashe et al., 2007b: month(s): 4-7. Kazakhstan Devyatkov, 2020b: month(s): 5-8. Latvia Salmela and Vartija, 2007: month(s): 5. Netherlands Dek et al., 2014: month(s): 5. Norway Olsen and Andersen, 2021: month(s): 6-7(-9). Poland Wiedenska, 2014: month(s): 6. Wiedenska and Syratt, 2023: month(s): 5, 8. Romania Ujvarosi et al., 2011b: month(s): 5-6. Russia Gavryushin in litt., 2011e: month(s): 7. Gavryushin in litt., 2012e: month(s): 8. Paramonov and Klepikov, 2014: month(s): 6. Paramonov, 2014: month(s): 5. Gavryushin in litt., 2015a: month(s): 7. Paramonov and Pilipenko, 2016: month(s): 5-6. Slovakia Stary, 2009d: month(s): 5-6. Switzerland Podenas et al., 2006: month(s): 5-7, 9. on altitude (mainly from 2000 onward): Bulgaria Hubenov, 2018a: altitude: 1400-1420 m. Hubenov, 2021a: altitude: 1350-1400 m. Hubenov, 2025b: altitude: 1350-1400 m. Great Britain Alexander, 2005: altitude: 70 m. Alexander, 2012b: altitude: 27 m. Kazakhstan Stary, 2011b: altitude: 1645 m. Devyatkov, 2020b: altitude: 386-2032 m. Poland Wiedenska and Syratt, 2023: altitude: 650-800 m. Romania Ujvarosi and Poti, 2006: altitude: 670 m. Russia Gavryushin in litt., 2012e: altitude: 607 m. Gavryushin in litt., 2015a: altitude: 607 m. Slovakia Stary, 2009d: altitude: 630-870 m.