Corethrella (Corethrella) amazonica Lane, 1939

Amaral, André P., Mariano, Rodolfo & Pinho, Luiz Carlos, 2023, Description of five new species of frog-biting midges (Diptera, Corethrellidae) from Brazil and examination of new morphological characters with utility for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, European Journal of Taxonomy 874 (1), pp. 1-120 : 46-47

Corethrella (Corethrella) amazonica Lane, 1939

Fig. 20 ; Appendix 1

Material examined

BRAZIL – Bahia State • 4 ♀♀, adults; Maraú, Cassange ; 13°59ʹ16ʺ S, 38°57ʹ03ʺ W; 13 m a.s.l.; 28 Sep. 2019; A.P. Amaral leg.; CDC trap; CE-MHS • 1 ♀, adult; Ilhéus, Cabruca da UESC ; 14°47ʹ37ʺ S, 39°10ʹ25ʺ W; 35 m a.s.l.; 16 Jul. 2019; A.P. Amaral leg.; F call trap ( Boana faber ); CE-MHS • 1 ♀, adult; Uruçuca, PESC , “Fundos da sede” [behind park lodge]; 14°29ʹ40ʺ S, 39°08ʹ23ʺ W; 970 m a.s.l.; 31 Oct. 2016; V.A. Silva et al. leg.; light pan; CE-MHS • 1 ♀, adult; Porto Seguro, RPPN Veracel , mussununga ; 16°21ʹ33ʺ S, 39°08ʹ15ʺ W; 72 m a.s.l.; 12 Mar. 2020; A.P. Amaral leg.; frog-call trap (chorus); CE-MHS .

Description

Female adult (n = 7)

HEAD. Sensilla ( Fig. 20A ): Ocular row with 2 thick offset setae at ventral part, 10–13 extending posteriorly. Subocular row weakly defined anteriorly, with 14–20 slender setae; vertex and interocular space with several slender setae. Postgenal row with 20–27 slender setae ranging from mid-posteriorly to ventromedially. With 1 thick ventromedial seta.

THORAX. Sensilla ( Fig. 20B ): Antepronotum with 2–3 intermediate anterodorsal setae and 0–5 more ventral setae on anterior margin. Postpronotum with 1–2 thick dorsal and 3–6 slender setae. Scutum, prescutal area with 3 thick setae vertically arranged near prescutal suture, with 6–9 slender setae surrounding; group of about 4–5 thick/intermediate and 4–6 slender setae anteriorly, merging with anterior portion of dorsocentral row. Antealar area with 9–12 thick/intermediate and 6–8 slender setae clustered on posteroventral portion. Supraalar area with 2–3 thick setae, with 5–14 slender setae surrounding. Dorsocentral row, posterior part with group of 6–7 thick offset setae longitudinally aligned; 15–27 thick/intermediate and about 20–40 slender completing row. Scutellum with 9–12 thick setae. Posterior anepisternum with 0–4 slender dorsal setae. Anepimeron bare.

WING. R 3 /R 1: 0.66 (0.63–0.69); R 2+3 /R 2: 0.36 (0.32–0.43).

LEGS. Empodium ( Fig. 20C ) short, slender, with 2 branches.

Distribution and biology

This is the first record of Corethrella amazonica both from the state of Bahia and from the Brazilian Northeast region. Specimens studied were collected via a light trap and a frog-call pan trap playing the calls of Physalaemus cuvieri , P. signifer (Girard, 1853) and Boana faber . Sampled locations were in the Atlantic forest area: a coastal lake, a white-sandy tropical savanna (mussununga), and a small stream in a forested area. Altitudes range from 13 to 210 m a.s.l.

This species is otherwise known from suthern Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, French Guiana, and the Brazilian states of ES, PA, RO, SC, and SP, at altitudes ranging from 0 to 500 m a.s.l. ( Borkent 2008; Amaral et al. 2019).

Remarks

The number of setae on the posterior portion of the dorsocentral row is here differently interpreted than in Borkent (2008). See Morphology remarks.

Figures

Fig. 20. Corethrella amazonica Lane, 1939, female adult. A. Cranial setae, anterior and posterior views, and clypeus in anterior view. B. Thoracic setae, lateral view. C. Hind leg claw and empodium, lateral view.