Corethrella (Corethrella) infuscata Lane, 1939

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 130-132

Corethrella (Corethrella) infuscata Lane

Corethrella infuscata Lane 1939b:389 . Type locality: Juquiá, São Paulo, Brazil. Holotype ♀ (DEFS). Lane 1942: 103. Lane 1953: 73.

DIAGNOSIS: Male and female adults: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with a plain wing (Figs. 63M, 70C), thorax light brown (or yellowish), the hind tibia with discrete basal and apical dark pigmentation, midfemur light brown with slightly darker pigmentation at its very apex, and fore and hind coxae and trochanters equally dark brown ( Fig. 51C).

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 11E). Six large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16H). Antenna pale, with flagellomeres 11–13 light brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 22J, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with well-developed apical bifurcation. Palpus dark brown; segment 3 slightly swollen apically. Thorax (as in Fig. 51C): Light brown, with following pale: lateral band on katepisternum, posterior portion of anepimeron, sclerites around base of wing, scutellum with darker anteromedial spot. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 12 elongate setae. Prescutal suture elongate, interrupted by area of pale cuticle. 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. 63M): Apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1. Plain, without pattern of pigmented veins and/or scales; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with well-developed scales. Halter light brown, as pigmented as scutellum. Legs (as in Fig. 51C): All coxae, trochanters medium brown; fore and midfemora and tibiae medium brown, with apex of foretibia and base and apex of midtibia darker; hind femur with basal half dark brown, apical half light brown but with small patch of darker brown ventroapically; hind tibia light brown with discrete basal, apical dark brown pigmentation, at least mid-, hind leg tarsomeres 2–4 with banding. 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 shorter than fourth tarsomere. Empodia slender. Abdomen (Fig. 79D): Tergites 1–7 uniformly pigmented light brown. Sternites 1–2 medium brown, 3–7 light brown with posterior margins medium brown. Segments 8–9 medium brown. Genitalia (as in Fig. 92D but with dorsomedial seta tapering from base): Gonocoxite light brown with posterolateral margin 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 curving posteromedially with posteriormost seta of row positioned dorsomedially. With one dorsomedial stout seta, tapering from base. Gonostylus (partially extended) straight, with apical 1/3 evenly curved, slender, thicker on basal half, tapered apically; one elongate, slender subbasal seta, situated anteriorly or anteroventrally; apical seta slender, elongate, simple. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering gradually to apex, pointed apically, with lateral margins fused at apex.

Female adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 6–11. As for male, with following differences. Head: Coronal suture elongate, extending ventrally past ommatida ( Fig. 16H). Antenna pale with flagellomeres 7– 13 light brown; with flagellomeres as in Fig. 30A, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 18L) wide. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus as in Fig. 34X. Wing (Fig. 70C). Legs ( Fig. 51C): Pigmented as for male but hind femur with about basal 0.3 more darkly pigmented. Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Light brown, with sternites 1, 2 medium brown. Cercus light brown.

Pupa. Described by Lane (1942, 1953). Thorax: Scutum, metathorax spherical sensory pits unknown. Respiratory organ: Tubular. Abdomen: Segments 3–7 not expanded laterally. Paddle only moderately elongate; apicodorsal thick spine articulating; apicoventral seta longer than thick spine.

Larva. Described by Lane (1942, 1953).

Egg. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella infuscata is known from southeastern Brazil (Fig. 125) at altitudes ranging from 0–85 m (the latter from the type specimen). Specimens have been collected through rearing from bromeliads, included the male described by Lane (1942). Lane (1939b) did not record how he collected the holotype but it is unlikely that it was reared. The 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 one male and female were reared from the same locality and habitat in Campo do Grumari , Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil .

The holotype female was originally pinned but was placed on a microscope slide for this study. I did not examine the reared male described by Lane (1942) but his description matches that presented here. I have considered his description of the associated larval and pupal exuviae as accurate but this should be confirmed with further collecting and study. The specimens from Brazil in the USNM likely have associated immature stages in that collection but these could not located.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype, adult female on microscope slide, labeled “ Corethrella infuscata Ln 39, holotypo, S. Paulo Juquiá J. Lane col., 1.153, 1.028, S.96, T.941” ( DEFS); 1 ♀, Rio Vermelho near confluence with Rio Guaratuba , Bertioga, São Paulo, Brazil, 5 m, 30-I975 ( USNM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Campo do Grumari,

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 0 m, 30-XII-1975 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name infuscata (painted) probably refers to the banded tarsi of the adults of this species noted by Lane (1939b).