Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 68. (Budapest 1976)

Papp, L. ; Plachter, H.: On cave-dwelling Sphaeroceridae from Hungary and Germany (Diptera)

3/6: Christianengrotte bei Oberau

— 110 km SE of Nürnberg; H 24 ; total length of 25 m, continuations possible ; rather warm ; entrance to S. Distance from entrance (m) Limosina Date Distance from entrance (m) bequaerti flaviceps silvatica Remarks 6. in. 75 20. VIII. 75 17 10 1 1 1 19 of the extremely rare species of Limosina flaviceps ZETTERSTEDT, 1847 is very interesting and the dominant role of Limosina bequaerti in the interior of the caves should be stressed. The caves of the "Frankenalb" are rather small. In winter the Sphaerocerids were found only in the five biggest caves (with one exception, see Table 3/1-6), and there were only five species in the collected material (Limosina bequaerti, L. claviventrw, L. penetralis, L. rakovitzai and L. silvatica). In summer the species of the family were collected in 15 additional caves, and what is more, all the 15 species. But the two true troglophilous species (L. bequaerti and L. rakovitzai) live only in seven caves (in the biggest caves). Anyway, over the collected material, several thousand Sphaerocerid specimens were observed in the German caves. PLACHTER'S observations are depicted in Figs. 1 and 2. Since it is impossible to determine the Sphaerocerid specimens to species by the naked eye, only two groups were separated. The smaller specimens belong to the genus Limosina with very few exceptions (Fig. 1A), while all the bigger specimens are Coprornyza species (Fig. IB). With the aid of the collected material (Table 3/1-6) the peaks in the figures can be interpreted. In summer (August) many of the Limosina species can be found near the entrance of the caves (Fig. 1A, cf. Diagram 1). In the intermediate Fig. 1. Tha average number of the Sphaerocerid specimens per cave counted in every meter from the entrance in 21 caves. A = Limosina species, B = Coprornyza species.