Corethrella (Corethrella) blantoni Borkent, 2008

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 180-182

Corethrella (Corethrella) blantoni Borkent , new species

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with a distinct midlength wing band (Fig. 65F), thorax dark brown (as in Fig. 57B), 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) ( Fig. 57B), midfemur without scales, and gonocoxite pale and contrasting with medium to dark brown remainder of abdomen (Fig. 81A). Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with the clypeus wider than long ( Fig. 18 AI), flagellomeres 1–3 each elongate ( Fig. 31L), flagellomere 3, 9–12 each with one sensillum coeloconicum, a distinct midlength wing band, without any dark scales basal to midlength band (Fig. 71L), thorax dark brown ( Fig. 57B), halter light brown and much 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), midfemur without scales, and with hind tibia with basal and apical pigmentation Non-discrete ( Fig. 57B).

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 14A). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16F). Antenna medium brown, with flagellomere 1 basal half dark brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 24I, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with well-developed apical bifurcation. Palpus light brown, with segment 5 slightly darker; segment 3 of nearly constant width. Thorax (as in Fig. 57B): Dark brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 5 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. 65F): Apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1. Anterior margin with differently, discretely pigmented scales (indicating anterior margin of midlength band), with midlength band; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with well-developed scales. Halter light brown, paler than scutellum. Legs (as in Fig. 57B): Dark brown with knees of fore-, midlegs pale, hind femur with apical 0.3–0.4 pale, hind tibia pale with basal and apical non-discrete dark brown pigmentation. With only slender 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 more or less equal in length to fourth tarsomere. Empodia slender. Abdomen (Fig. 81A): Segments 1-9 medium to dark brown. Genitalia (Fig. 98A): Gonocoxite uniformly pale, gently tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with setae 1-3 slightly thicker than others, with row restricted to dorsal portion of gonocoxite. With one dorsomedial stout seta, more or less of even thickness for most of length, tapering near apex. Gonostylus (partially extended) evenly curved, with stronger curve near apex, slender, narrowed at midlength, rounded apically; one short, slender subbasal seta, situated anteriorly or anteroventrally; apical seta slender, short, simple. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering gradually to apex, pointed apically, with lateral margins fused at or near apex.

Female adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 6–11. As for male, with following differences. Head: Coronal suture short, extending ventrally about midway along area between ommatidia (as in Fig. 16F). Antennal flagellomeres as in Fig. 31L, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 18 AI) wide. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus as in Fig. 35O. Wing (Fig. 71L). Legs: Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Medium to dark brown, lighter specimens with segments 8–9 darker. Cercus dark brown.

Immatures. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella blantoni is known from Panama (Fig. 127) at altitudes ranging from 15– 16 m. It is uncertain how the specimens were collected but they were likely sampled with a New Jersey light trap which Blanton used extensively in Panama in 1952 during his survey of Ceratopogonidae ( Wirth and Blanton 1959) .

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: Males and females were associated through the shared presence of a common pigmentation pattern and were collected together at El Real, Panama.

TYPES: Holotype, male adult on microscope slide, labeled " HOLOTYPE Corethrella blantoni Borkent ”, “ El Real Panama Darien Prov. 21 July 1952 ”, “FS Blanton Collector”, “ Corethrella downsi ” (USNM) . Allotype, female adult on microscope slide, labeled as for holotype ( USNM) . Paratypes: 3 ♂, 1 ♀ from type locality (2 ♂, USNM; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, CNCI) ; 1 ♀, from type locality but 8-VIII-1952 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, Almirante, Bocas del

Toro , Panama, 28-X-1952 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name blantoni is proposed in recognition of the huge contribution Frank S. Blanton has made to our understanding of New World nematocerous Diptera . He collected all of the type specimens of this species.