Simulium paraloutetense Crosskey, 1988
Gran Canaria blackfly (proposed)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Conservation Status
Extinct
Last record: after 1994
The Gran Canaria Blackfly (Simulium paraloutetense) was long known only from specimens collected in 1931 from Las Lagunetas, Gran Canaria, by Finnish entomologist R. Frey (Crosskey, 1988; Crosskey et al. 1999). And when (Crosskey, 1988) described the species he believed that no springs remained on Gran Canaria, and hence this rare endemic was extinct. Thankfully, however, as the paper was going to press the species was rediscovered by Marco Báez (Crosskey, 1988:355). Additional specimens were subsequently collected at all stages of the lifecycle and these were described by (Crosskey et al. 1999). However, the species was again reported as probably extinct by (Crosskey & Báez, 2004) on account of its only known remaining habitat being destroyed.
Distribution
Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
Biology
Hypodigm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Crosskey, Roger W. (1988). Taxonomy and geography of the blackflies of the Canary Islands (Diptera: Simuliidae). Journal of Natural History 22(2): 321-355. [Abstract]
Other references:
Anon. (1987). New extinct blackfly rings warning bell, News and Views. Oryx 21(4): 205.
Crosskey, Roger W., Malmqvist, B. and Nilsson, A. N. (1999). A review of the Palaearctic blackfly subgenus Simulium (Rubzovia) with the emphasis on S. (R.) paraloutetense, a species confined to Gran Canaria Island (Diptera: Simuliidae). Ent. scand. 29: 383-393.
Crosskey, Roger W. and Báez, M. (2004). A synopsis of present knowledge of the Simuliidae (Diptera) of the Canary Islands, including keys to the larval and pupal stages. Journal of Natural History 38(16): 2085-2117.
Holmes, Branden. (2021). What's Lost and What Remains: The Sixth Extinction in 100 Accounts (eBook). Self published.