A REVIEW OF THE GENUS LIMNOPHYES EATON FROM THE HOLARCTIC AND AFROTROPICAL REGIONS (DIPTERA, CHIRONOMIDAE, ORTHOCLADIINAE)

Generic diagnoses to all stages of the genus Limnophyes Eaton, 1875 are given. A synapomorphic diagram showing Limnophyes as the sistergroup of Compterosmittia Saether plus Parlimnophyes Brundin, and Heleniella Serra-Tosio as the sistergroup of all these, is presented. Within the genus Limnophyes, L. asquamatus Andersen form the sister species of the remaining species combined, which can be divided into two monophyletic groups, the barchytomus group and the minimus group. Keys to male and female imagines, pupae an larvae are given . Type material of 50 species assigned to Limnophyes or to Camptocladius v.d. Wulp belonging to 14 museums have been reexamined, lectotypes designated, and new combinations and synonyms given. Thirtynine species are treated, 15 of which are new, 14 are completely redescribed or previously unknown stages described, and additional descriptions or comments are given on the remaining species. L. edwardsi sp. n. is described in both sexes and all stages; L. schnelli sp. n. is described as male, female and pupa; L. bidumus sp. n. as male and female imago; L. spinigus as male and pupa; and L. doughmani sp. n., L. lobiscus sp. n., L. bubo sp. n., L prolatus sp. n., L. torulus sp. n., L. anderseni sp. n., L. madeirae sp. n., L. aagaardi sp. n., L. angelicae sp. n., L.cranstoni sp. n. and L. gelasinus sp. n. as male imagines. Errors in previous publications are corrected, remarks on variation given, and the systematics and phylogenetic position of species occurring outside the Holarctic and Afrotropical regions discussed. The genus as a whole appear to have had a northern Holarctic origin with possibly only one main vicariance event, the splitting into the primarily Nearctic brachytomus group and the mostly Palaearctic minimus group. Facultative parthenogenesis and dispersal along mountain ranges explain most of the dispersal to southern continents. A number of species pairs or triplets indicate postglacial or interglacial vicariance events.