Corethrella (Corethrella) cambirela Amaral, Mariano & Pinho, 2019

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 : 85-87

Corethrella (Corethrella) cambirela Amaral, Mariano & Pinho, 2019

Fig. 42 ; Appendix 1

Material examined

Holotype

BRAZIL – Santa Catarina State • ♂, adult; Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Plaza Caldas ; 27°44ʹ30ʺ S, 48°48ʹ25ʺ W; 424 m a.s.l.; 9–10 Aug. 2017; L.C. Pinho et al. leg.; CDC trap; MZUSP.

Allotype

BRAZIL – Santa Catarina State • ♀, adult; Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Plaza Caldas ; 27°44ʹ35ʺ S, 48°48ʹ27ʺ W; 433 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2013; A. Ambrozio-Assis leg.; frog-call trap ( Physalaemus lateristriga ) 2ª3; MZUSP.

Paratypes

BRAZIL – Santa Catarina State • 2 ♂♂, adults; same collection data as for holotype; CE-MHS. • 1 ♀, adult; same collection data as for allotype, except 31 Mar. 2013; frog-call trap ( Hypsiboas poaju ); CE-MHS .

Description

Male and female adults (3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀)

HEAD. Sensilla ( Fig. 42A ): Ocular row with 1 thick offset seta at ventral part, 1 more dorsal, and 14 setae shortly extending posteriorly. Subocular row not well-defined, interocular space and vertex with a few slender setae. Postgenal row with 5–6 intermediate setae at mid-posterior portion. With 2 thick ventromedial setae.

THORAX. Sensilla ( Fig. 42B ): Antepronotum with 4–7 slender setae along anterior and ventral margins. Postpronotum with 1 thick, 1 intermediate, and 2–3 slender dorsal setae. Scutum, prescutal area with 3 thick setae near prescutal suture and 7–12 slender/intermediate setae near anterior portion of dorsocentral row. Antealar area with 3 thick and 0–2 intermediate setae vertically aligned on anterior portion, 6–8 thick/intermediate setae ventrally located, forming a U-shape; 4–6 scattered slender setae. Supraalar area with 2–3 thick setae surrounded by 6–8 slender setae. Dorsocentral row, posterior part with cluster of 3–4 thick and 1–3 slender setae; about 15–22 thick/intermediate and approximately 13–19 slender completing row. Scutellum with 10–11 thick setae. Posterior anepisternum bare. Anepimeron with 4–7 slender setae.

WING. Male R 3 /R 1: 0.52 (0.50–0.54); R 2+3 /R 2: 0.63 (0.58–0.68). Female R 3 /R 1: 0.59–0.63; R 2+3 /R 2: 0.44– 0.52.

LEGS. Empodium ( Amaral et al. 2019: 115, fig. 7f) of intermediate length and thickness, with 3 branches. Male Ta1/Ta2: 2.67 (2.56–2.86); Ta3/Ta4: 0.54 (0.50–0.57). Female Ta1/Ta2: 2.71–2.78; Ta3/Ta4: 1.08– 1.09.

Distribution and biology

The specimens studied here constitute the type series recorded in Amaral et al. (2019): “This species is known from two females collected in frog-call traps playing the call of Physalaemus lateristriga (Steindachner) and Boana poaju (Garcia, Peixoto & Haddad) , and five males collected using a CDC trap. So far this species is restricted to Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, in Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, SC, at elevations of 425– 434 m.”

Remarks

In the original description, Amaral et al. (2019) stated that three posterior setae are present in the dorsocentral row. This study interprets this character differently, now considering it as 4 thick setae. The position of this species in the phylogeny is not certain, although, considering the three-branched empodium, male abdominal segment VIII pale and the setae on the antealar area, it might belong within the ananacola – fulva clade ( Borkent 2008). The absence of a pigmentation pattern on the wing is a synapomorphy for a more inclusive clade, the tarsata – fulva clade, although Corethrella cambirela does not have other apomorphic states shared by the species in this clade, such as two bold ventral setae in the ocular row, the scutellum with a dark anteromedial spot, or the gonocoxite more darkly pigmented posteriorly or posterolaterally.

Figures

Fig. 42. Corethrella cambirela Amaral, Mariano & Pinho, 2019, adult. A. Cranial setae, anterior and posterior views, and female clypeus in anterior view. B. Thoracic setae, lateral view.