Corethrella (Corethrella) hispaniolensis Borkent, 2008

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 165-166

Corethrella (Corethrella) hispaniolensis Borkent , new species

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with flagellomeres 9–12 each with one sensillum coeloconicum, a distinct midlength wing band and dark scales of subapical band extending to the wing margin (Fig. 64M), thorax dark brown (as in Fig. 55C), halter pale and paler than scutellum, midfemur dark brown and equal to that of base of hind femur, base of hind tibia darkly pigmented (contrasting with pale apex of hind femur), mid- and hind leg tarsomeres 2–4 with bands, with apical 0.4 of hind tibia pale (as in Fig. 55C), midfemur without scales, segments 7 and 8 similar in pigmentation, and base of gonocoxite medium brown and similar in pigmentation to segment 9 (Fig. 80F). Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with the clypeus nearly square ( Fig. 18 AB), each of flagellomeres 1–3 elongate ( Fig. 31E), a distinct midlength wing band but without dark scales on R 4+5, more basal dark scales on R, M (Fig. 71E), with the thorax dark brown ( Fig. 55C), halter medium brown and slightly paler than scutellum, midfemur dark brown and equal to that of base of hind femur, and the base of hind tibia darkly pigmented (contrasting with pale apex of hind femur) ( Fig. 55C), and midfemur without scales.

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 13C). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16B). Antenna pale to light brown, with flagellomeres 11–13 medium brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 224B, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with well-developed apical bifurcation. Palpus pale; segment 3 of nearly constant width, slight swollen subapically. Thorax (as in Fig. 55C): Dark brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 6 elongate setae. Prescutal suture short, not extending more than half way to dorsocentral row of setae. Anterior anepisternum divided diagonally by sinuous suture, dorsal portion about equal to ventral portion. Ventral portion of posterior anepisternum triangular, uniformly brown, with anterodorsal margin thick. Wing (Fig. 64M): Apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1. Anterior margin with differently, discretely pigmented scales (indicating anterior margins of wing bands), with subbasal (dark scales on C, R, M), midlength (without dark scales on R 4+5), subapical band with dark scales on R 2, R 3, these extending to wing margin; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with welldeveloped scales. Halter pale. Legs (as in Fig. 55C): Forefemur dark brown; foretibia dark brown with apex darker; midfemur and tibia dark brown with very apex of midtibia darker; hind femur with dark brown with apical 0.4 pale but with small patch of darker apicoventral pigmentation; hind tibia pale with basal and apical discrete dark brown pigmentation, at least mid-, hind leg tarsomeres 2–4 with banding. Femora with slightly thicker setae, lacking scales (except for some in patch of whip-like setae on posterior portion of hind tibia). Midleg with thick, subapical setae on each of at least tarsomeres 1–3. Apices of fore-, midleg fifth tarsomeres undivided, with claws slightly subapical to apical (as in Fig. 75F). Claw of foreleg longer than those of mid-, hind leg. Each claw without inner tooth. Anterior claws of each leg without a basal prong. Foreleg claws unequal. Midleg claws equal. Foreleg third tarsomere shorter than fourth tarsomere. Empodia slender. Abdomen (Fig. 80F): Medium brown. Genitalia (Fig. 96B): Gonocoxite medium brown, strongly tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with setae 2, 3 thicker than others; with row restricted to dorsal portion of gonocoxite. With one dorsomedial stout seta, tapering from base but more abruptly subapically. Gonostylus (partially extended) gently curved, slender, of more or less equal thickness for entire length but somewhat thicker apically, pointed apically; one elongate, slender subbasal seta, situated anteriorly or anteroventrally; apical seta slender, short, simple. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering gradually to near apex, with slender apex, pointed apically, with lateral margins fused subapically or near apex.

Female adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 6–11. As for male, with following differences. Head: Coronal suture elongate, extending ventrally past ommatida (as in Fig. 16B). Antenna pale with basal half of flagellomere 1, apices of flagellomere 5–7, flagellomeres 8–13 medium brown; with flagellomeres as in Fig. 31E, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 18 AB) squarish. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus as in Fig. 35H. Wing (Fig. 71E). Legs ( Fig. 55C): Pigmentation as for male but hind femur with apical 0.3–0.4 pale. Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Medium brown with segments 8–9 dark brown. Cercus dark brown.

Pupa. Mostly undescribed. Thorax: Scutum, metathorax each with spherical sensory pit (as in Fig. 100A). Respiratory organ (Fig. 103E): Tubular. Abdomen (Fig. 110B): Segments 3–7 somewhat expanded laterally. Paddle only moderately elongate; apicodorsal thick spine articulating; apicoventral seta longer than thick spine.

Larva. Undescribed.

Egg. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella hispaniolensis is known from the Dominican Republic (Fig. 134) at altitudes ranging from 600–800 m. All specimens were reared from larvae collected from bromeliads. Specimens from the Belkin “ Mosquitoes of Middle America ” project are identified in Table 12 .

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: The male and females were associated through the shared presence of a common pigmentation pattern and were reared together at one locality. The holotype was originally on a pin, with just the genitalia on a slide. The entire specimen is now on a single slide.

TYPE: Holotype, male adult on microscope slide, larval and pupal exuviae on separate slide, labeled " HOLOTYPE Corethrella hispaniolensis Borkent ”, “ road to Constanza , Bonao, La Vega, Dominican Republic, 700 m, 10-IX-1971, T.E. Rogers ”, “RDO 291-13, Domin Rep 71, Mosq Mid Amer”, “Cor. sp. 33”, “ ♂ g” ( USNM) . Allotype, larval and pupal exuviae on separate slide, labeled as for holotype but RDO 291-15 ( USNM) . Paratype: 1 ♀, with larval and pupal exuviae on separate slide, Piedra Blanca , La Vega, Dominican Republic, 600–800 m, 8-VIII-1971 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name hispaniolensis refers to the island home of this species.