Beardius phoenix, Pinho & Mendes & Andersen, 2013

Pinho, Luiz Carlos, Mendes, Humberto Fonseca & Andersen, Trond, 2013, Revision of Beardius Reiss et Sublette, 1985 (Diptera: Chironomidae), with the description of twenty new species, Zootaxa 3742 (1), pp. 1-78 : 56-59

Beardius phoenix sp. n.

( Figs 100–109 )

Type material. Holotype male with pupa, BRAZIL, Amazonas State: Rio Branquinho , above waterfall, 22.vii.1961, Brundin net, A211, E.J. Fittkau ( ZSM) . Paratypes: 5 males, Uatumã Biological Reserve, Acampamento Cachoeira , 31.i.–02.ii.2008, light trap, N. Hamada et al. ( INPA) . 2 males, Acre State: Mâncio Lima, Serra do Divisor National Park, Pé da Serra , Igarapé Ar-condicionado , 17.iii.2006, light trap, A.R. Calor ( ZMBN) . 1 male, Mâncio Lima, Serra do Divisor National Park, Pé da Serra , Rio Moa , 16.iii.2006, light trap, A.R. Calor ( MZUFBA) . 2 males, Pará State: Igarapé Kumadueni , 19.iv.1962, light trap, A377, E.J. Fittkau ( ZMBN) . 4 males, Rio Parú do Oeste, Malloca Apicó , 400 m a.s.l., 20.iv.1962, light trap, A366–1, E.J. Fittkau ( MZSP) . 1 male, Serra Tumucumaque, Igarapé Okueima , Acampamento II, 18.iv.1962, light trap, E.J. Fittkau ( ZMBN) . 1 pupa, Rio Paru, Missão Tiriyos , 22–23.iii.1962, Brundin net, A356–1, E.J. Fittkau ( MZSP) .

Diagnostic characters. The species belongs in the triangulatus group. The male can be separated from all other members of the genus by the combination of the following characters: median volsella wart-like; and inferior volsella with developed projection, narrowed at base and reaching apex of volsella. The pupa by: tergite II with stronger shagreen orally; tergites VII and VIII without shagreen; paratergite VIII without spines; and stout anterior branch of thoracic horn with spinules in distal 1/2.

Etymology. The name phoenix refers to the mythological bird which rises from the ashes, because during the present study the only three known specimens of this new species were accidentally burnt while drying slides in an incubator. However, after two years of searching for the species in museum collections and at the collection sites, more specimens were found.

Description

Male (n = 8–10, except when otherwise stated). Total length 1.83–2.41, 2.18 mm. Wing length 1.03–1.18, 1.09 mm. Total length / wing length 1.55–2.35, 1.99. Wing length / length of profemur 2.03–2.26, 2.09.

Coloration. Head, thorax and abdomen pale. Legs pale.

Head ( Fig. 100 ). AR 0.88–1.08, 1.01; ultimate flagellomere 87–102, 95 µm long. Inner verticals 1–2, 1; outer verticals 3–4, 4; postorbitals 3–5, 4. Clypeus with 10–12, 11 setae. Tentorium 77–107, 93 µm long; 16–24, 20 µm wide. Stipes 89–138, 103 µm long. Palpomere lengths (in µm): 22–30, 26; 22–37, 28; 66–102, 83; 103–126, 111; 144–168, 160. Third palpomere with 2–4, 2 sensillae subapically; longest 12–16, 14 µm long.

Thorax ( Fig. 102 ). Scutal tubercle absent. Dorsocentrals 4–6, 5; acrostichals absent; prealars 2–3, 2. Scutellum with 4 setae.

Wing ( Fig. 101 ). VR 1.39–1.51, 1.43. R with 1–4, 2 setae; R 4+5 with 1–2, 2 setae at apex. Brachiolum with 1–3, 2 setae. Remaining veins bare.

Legs. Spur of fore tibia (including scale) 28–36, 32 µm long; spur of mid tibia (including comb) 28–44, 36 µm long; spur of hind tibia (including comb) 41–48, 44 µm long. Width at apex of fore tibia 36–44, 41 µm; of mid tibia 32–41, 36 µm; of hind tibia 32–44, 41 µm. Lengths and proportions of legs as in Table 19. Hypopygium ( Figs 103–105 ). Anal point broadly triangular; 2–5, 3 µm long; not reaching posterior margin of tergite IX. Tergite IX without setae, tergal bands present. Laterosternite IX with 1–2, 2 setae. Phallapodeme 56–68, 61 µm long. Transverse sternapodeme 35–48, 40 µm long. Gonocoxite 104–114, 109 µm long. Superior volsella broadly clavate, 30–43, 39 µm long, with 4–8, 6 dorsal and 1–2, 2 ventral setae, fully covered with microtrichia. Median volsella 5–6, 5 µm long; with 2 apical setae; longest 10–16, 13 µm long. Inferior volsella clavate, curved, 51–61, 57 µm long; with 2 apical and 3–4, 3 subapical thin setae; projection racquet-shaped, arising from base of volsella, 55–65, 61 µm long; densely covered with long microtrichia. Gonostylus 97–112, 104 µm long. HR 0.78– 0.92, 0.85. HV 1.66–2.37, 2.11 (7).

Pupa (n = 1–2). Total length 2.73 mm.

Coloration. Cephalothorax and abdomen pale.

Cephalothorax. Frontal apotome conical ( Fig. 106 ), frontal setae 33–55 µm long. Thoracic horn with 5 branches ( Fig. 107 ); anterior branch with spinules along distal 1/2. Distance between Dc1 and Dc2 8 µm; between Dc2 and Dc3 138 µm; between Dc3 and Dc4 8 µm. Prealars absent.

Abdomen ( Fig. 109 ). Tergites I, VII and VIII without shagreen. Tergites II–V with anterior transverse band of shagreen a little stronger than contiguous posterior shagreen. Tergite VI with anterior transverse band of shagreen only. Row of hooklets on tergite II about 1/3 of tergite width. Conjunctive IV/V with spinules in a single patch. Paratergite V with few spinules, restricted to posterior margin. Pedes spurii A and pedes spurii B present. Segment I without L setae; segments II–IV with 3 setae L; segment V with 3 taeniate L setae; segments VI–VIII with 4 taeniate L setae. Segment VIII without lateral spines, spur simple ( Fig. 108 ). Anal lobe 106 µm long, with 8 taeniate setae.

Female and larva. Unknown.

Distribution. The species is collected in the Acre, Amazonas, and Pará states in Brazil.

Figures

FIGURES 100–105. Beardius phoenix sp. n., male. 100—head; 101—wing; 102—thorax; 103—hypopygium, lateral view; 104—anal point and tergite IX and dorsal aspect of left gonocoxite and gonostylus; 105—hypopygium with anal point and tergite IX removed, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect.

FIGURES 106–109. Beardius phoenix sp. n., pupa. 106—frontal apotome; 107—thoracic horn; 108—paratergite VIII; 109— abdominal segments I–IX and anal lobe, dorsal view.