Simulium (Simulium s.l.) spinifer Knab

HERNÁNDEZ, LUIS MIGUEL, SHELLEY, ANTHONY JOHN, DE LUNA DIAS, ANTONIO PAULINO ANDRADE & MAIA-HERZOG, MARILZA, 2007, New specific synonymies and taxonomic notes on Neotropical black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) belonging to the subgenera Chirostilbia Enderlein, Hemicnetha Enderlein, Inaequalium Coscarón & Wygodzinsky, Psaroniocompsa Enderlein and Psilopelmia Enderlein, Zootaxa 1506 (1), pp. 1-80 : 28-30

Simulium (Simulium s.l.) spinifer Knab

( Figs. 51–58 , 77, 78 , 94–96 , 112–114 , 162–170 , 199–201 )

Simulium spinifer Knab, 1914: 84 . HOLOTYPE ♀, PERU: Verrugas Canyon; 5.vii.1913, (C.H.T. Townsend) (USNM) [HOLOTYPE, no. 18348.] [Examined.] [Synonymized with doubt with S. jujuyense by Coscarón, 1987: 23 and later confirmed by Coscarón, 1991: 182; resurrected from synonymy with S. jujuyense in this paper.]

Simulium hoffmanni Vargas, 1943: 138 . LECTOTYPE ♀, PERU, Calca; 6.viii.1903, [Without collector’s name.] (SMT) [Examined.] [Substitute name for Trichodagmia angustitarsis Enderlein, 1934a: 289 , 290 by Vargas, 1943: 138; synonymy with S. jujuyense by Coscarón, 1987: 23; resurrected from synonymy with S. jujuyense in this paper.] [Lectotype designation by Werner 1996b: 295.]

Simulium sicuani Smart, 1944: 132 . LECTOTYPE ♀, PERU: Sicuani; 8.vi.1903, [Without collector’s name.] (NMHU) [Examined.] [New name for Ectemnaspis limbata Enderlein, 1934a: 282 by Smart, 1944: 132] [Synonymy by Coscarón, 1987: 23; synonymy with S. jujuyense by Coscarón, 1987: 23; resurrected from synonymy with S. jujuyense in this paper.]. New type designation.

Simulium incaicum Vargas, 1945: 4 . [Un-necessary replacement name for Ectemnaspis limbata Enderlein, 1934a: 282 by Vargas, 1945: 4, which is preoccupied by Simulium limbatum Knab, 1915: 280 described from Peru.]

In 1914 Knab described S. spinifer from Peru based on three females collected in the Verrugas Canyon. Coscarón (1987) synonymized with doubt S. spinifer with S. jujuyense . However, although confirming this synonymy in the synonymic list before the description of S. jujuyense (p: 182) in Coscarón (1991), he then contradicted this synonymy in his discussion on page 183 [where he only considered these two species as “similar”]. Since the description of S. spinifer by Knab (1914) predates the description of S. jujuyense by Paterson & Shannon (1927) Coscarón should have questioned whether S. jujuyense is a junior synonym of S. spinifer and not the contrary. The adult genitalia of specimens identified as S. spinifer has been illustrated by Vargas & Diaz Nájera (1953) based on three females and four males collected at Tarma, Peru. The morphology of the females conforms with the holotype, but we reserve comments on the male because no evidence was provided that link-rearing of both sexes from this locality have been done. Therefore, there is no way to confirm whether the males are of the same species as the females.

We have examined the female holotype and one female paratype of S. spinifer , which are deposited in the USNM [the other paratype female was lost during transportation from the USNM to the BMNH]. The holotype is in relatively good condition and has been glued to a card point on the right side of the specimen. Both holotype and paratype appear to have been preserved in alcohol because the thoracic pattern is not very clear, especially in the holotype. We have taken digital images of the thoracic pattern of the holotype and paratype prior to dissection of the head, wings, abdomen and genitalia, which are mounted on two slides (Material Examined). The thorax of both specimens remains pinned. The female thoracic pattern ( Figs. 51– 54 ), nudiocular area ( Fig. 94 ), cibarium ( Fig. 112 ), wing venation, leg coloration, and morphology of the genitalia ( Figs. 162–164 ), especially the long paraproct, which is nearly twice as long as the cercus, clearly separate S. spinifer from S. jujuyense and all its synonyms detailed in this paper. Therefore, we remove S. spinifer from its synonymy with S. jujuyense . The morphology of the cercus and paraproct together with the coloration of the thorax clearly show that S. spinifer is not a member of the subgenus Psaroniocompsa , but closer to species of the subgenus Pternaspatha Enderlein , especially S. nigristrigatum (Enderlein) (see Wygodzinsky & Coscarón, 1967). However, the cibarium in S. spinifer is concave mesally with prominent tubercles and 1+1 groups of teeth between these and the base of the cornuae, whereas all species of Pternaspatha have an unarmed cibarium ( Wygodzinsky & Coscarón, 1967). Consequently, we regard at this juncture S. spinifer as a valid species unplaced to subgenus within Simulium s.l.

As a result of some subgeneric synonymies Vargas (1943) carried out several name changes in order to avoid creation of homonyms. One of the names was Trichodagmia angustitarse described by Enderlein (1934a) based on two females collected at Calca in Peru. These were given the new name S. hoffmani by Vargas (1943) to avoid homonymy with S. angustitarse ( Lundström, 1911) . Discussion on the misidentification of S. angustitarse by Edwards (1921) or with specimens from the Palaearctic Region may be found in Enderlein (1921 a, b, c) and Crosskey (1991). Coscarón synonymized S. hoffmani with S. jujuyense without further explanation in 1987. More recently, Werner (1996b) designated one female of S. angustitarse in the SMT as lectotype and the other specimen in NMHU was regarded as a paralectotype [see also Werner, 1996a]. We have examined both specimens. The lectotype is in relatively good condition, but lacks the right wing and it has been pinned through the ventral side of the thorax, and the head is weakly damaged. The female paralectotype is in a similar condition, it lacks the wings and the thorax is slightly damaged by the pin. We have taken digital images of the lectotype prior to dissections of the head, wings and abdomen and legs, which are on a slide. Images were also taken from the paralectotype prior to dissection of the head, one wing, abdomen, one hind leg and the genitalia. The thorax and five legs remained pinned (Material Examined). We have studied the female thoracic pattern ( Figs. 55, 56 ), head (nudiocular area and cibarium) ( Figs. 95 , 113 ), and morphology of the genitalia ( Figs. 165–167 ) and agree that S. hoffmani falls within the variation found in S. spinifer . Therefore, we consider both species as conspecific. In addition, we examined another specimen in the NMHU identified by Enderlin as “ Trichodagmia angustitarsis ” collected from Peru, Mamara by O. Garlepp. The specimen bears identification labels in Enderlein’s hand, an orange label as “Typus”, and a label in Werner’s hand stating that this specimen is not a syntype of S. angustitarse . We agree with Werner’s identification. The specimen is slightly damaged, but the thoracic pattern falls within the morphological variation found in S. townsendi Malloch and it has been labelled accordingly species (Material Examined).

We are here confirming the synonymy of S. sicuani with S. spinifer . The species name S. sicuani was proposed as a new name by Smart (1944) for a species described by Enderlein (1934a) from Peru as Ectemnaspis limbata , which was preoccupied by S. limbatum described by Knab (1915), and later referred to by Enderlein (1921a; 1921d). Enderlein (1934a) described E. limbata from several males and females [number not stated] collected in the localities of Sicuani, Calca, Laristhal and Rosalina, Urubamba on various dates in 1903. A year later Vargas (1945) dealt with new names for some Neotropical Simuliidae and proposed S. incaicum for E. limbata of Enderlein (1934a), apparently unaware of the previous paper of Smart in which this problem had been resolved. Therefore, S. incaicum represents an unnecessary replacement name for E. limbata Enderlein (ICZN, 1999) . Coscarón (1987) synonymized S. sicuani as the new name for E. limbata with S. jujuyense without further explanation. We have examined one male and five females in the NMHU and one male and four females in the SMT that agree with the original description of E. limbata . All the specimens are in relatively good condition and bear original labels by Enderlein (see Material Examined). We have selected a female deposited in the NMHU as lectotype and labelled it accordingly. All other specimens have been labelled as paralectotypes. We have taken digital images of the thorax of the lectotype and one paralectotype female prior to dissection of the head, wings, abdomen and genitalia, which are now on two slides. We have studied the thoracic pattern ( Figs. 57, 58 ), head (nudiocular area and cibarium) ( Figs. 96 , 114 ), wing venation, leg coloration, and general morphology of the female genitalia ( Figs. 168–170 ) of these specimens and agree that they are the same as the variation found in S. spinifer . Therefore, we regard both species as conspecific. In addition, a male paralectotype of S. sicuani has also been imaged prior to dissection of its genitalia, which are now on a slide. The thoracic pattern ( Figs. 77, 78 ) resembles that of S. jujuyense , but the structure of the genitalia, especially the morphology of the gonostyle ( Figs. 199–201 ), clearly shows that they are not of S. jujuyense . In the male of S. sicuani the gonostyle is elongate, almost the same length as the gonocoxite, and terminates in an apical spine ( Fig. 200 ). In the male S. jujuyense the gonostyle is sub-rectangular, truncate apically with a sub-median spine ( Fig. 188 ).

Simulium spinifer has only been recorded from Peru (see Material Examined).

Figures

PLATE 4. FIGURES 45–58. Colour patterns of the female thorax. For each species first figure is with anterior illumination and second figure with posterior illumination. 45, 46: S. minuanum paratype; 47, 48: S. costaricensis holotype; 49, 50: S. stellatum holotype; 51, 52: S. spinifer holotype; 53, 54: S. spinifer paratype; 55, 56: S. hoffmani lectotype; 57, 58: S. sicuani lectotype.

PLATE 5. FIGURES 59–78. Colour patterns of the male thorax. For each species first figure is with anterior illumination and second figure with posterior illumination. 59, 60: S. acarayense paratype; 61, 62: S. clarki paratype; 63, 64: S. nahimi paratype (as allotype); 65, 66: S. subnigrum (Brazil); 67, 68: S. jujuyense (Argentina); 69, 70: S. auripellitum (Brazil, with silver cunae]; 71, 72: Psaroniocompsa mendozoana holotype; 73, 74: S. bonaerense paratype; 75, 76: S. minuanum paratype; 77, 78: S. sicuani paralectotype.

PLATE 6. FIGURES 79–96. Female nudiocular area. 79: Thyrsopelma striginotum holotype; 80: S. pillosum holotype; 81: S. dekeyseri paratype; 82: S. acarayense paratype; 83: Trichodagmia manicata lectotype; 84: Thyrsopelma argentata holotype; 85: S. clarki paratype; 86: S. subnigrum (Brazil); 87: Psaroniocompsa opalinifrons holotype; 88: S. jujuyense (Argentina); 89: S. auripellitum holotype; 90: Pliodasina guttata holotype; 91: S. bonaerense paratype; 92: S. minuanum paratype; 93: S. costaricensis holotye; 94: S. spinifer holotype; 95: S. hoffmani lectotype; 96: S. sicuani lectotype.

PLATE 7. FIGURES 97–114. Female cibarium. 97: Thyrsopelma striginotum holotype; 98: S. pillosum holotype; 99: S. dekeyseri paratype; 100: S. acarayense paratype; 101: Trichodagmia manicata lectotype; 102: Thyrsopelma argentata holotype; 103: S. clarki paratype; 104: S. subnigrum (Brazil); 105: Psaroniocompsa opalinifrons holotype; 106: S. jujuyense (Argentina); 107: S. auripellitum holotype; 108: Pliodasina guttata holotype; 109: S. bonaerense paratype; 110: S. minuanum paratype; 111: S. costaricensis holotye; 112: S. spinifer holotype; 113: S. hoffmani lectotype; 114: S. sicuani lectotype.

PLATE 11. FIGURES 157–170. Female genitalia (cercus and pararprocts, eighth sternite and gonopophyses). 157– 159: S. minuanum paratype; 160–161: S. costaricensis holotye; 162–164: S spinifer holotype; 165–167: S. hoffmani lectotype; 168–170: S. sicuani lectotype.

PLATE 13. FIGURES 183–201. Male genitalia (ventral plate, gonocoxite and gonostyle, paramere). 183–185: S. subnigrum (Brazil), 185: Specimen identified as S. nahimi by L.M.Hernández; 187–189: S. jujuyense (Argentina); 190–192: Psaroniocompsa mendozana holotype; 193–195: S. bonaerense paratype; 196–198: S. minuanum paratype; 199–201: S. sicuani paralectotype.