Corethrella (Corethrella) brandiae Borkent, 2008

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 104-106

Corethrella (Corethrella) brandiae Borkent , new species

Corethrella inca: Lane 1942: 113 (in part).

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with a pale palpus (as in Fig. 9F), a distinct midlength wing band (Fig. 63A), with the thorax dark brown, 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) (as in Fig. 47B), midfemur without scales, abdomen light brown but with sternites 1–2 and segment 9 dark brown, and gonocoxite pale and contrasting with dark brown tergite 9 (Fig. 78D). Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with the clypeus wider than long ( Fig. 17 AK), each of flagellomeres 1–3 moderately elongate ( Fig. 28H), a distinct midlength wing band and no patch of dark scales between this band and the wing base (Fig. 68N), with the thorax dark brown, halter medium brown, 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. 47B), midfemur without scales, abdomen with sternites 1–2 darker than segments 1–7.

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 9F). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16E). Antenna light brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 21I, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with welldeveloped apical bifurcation. Palpus pale; segment 3 ovoid, swollen at or near midlength. Thorax (as in Fig. 47B): Dark brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 7 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. 63A): 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 but no dark scales on R 4+5, CuA 2; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with well-developed scales. Halter medium brown, slightly paler than scutellum. Legs (as in Fig. 47B): Dark brown with knees of fore-, midlegs pale, basal 0.4 of hind femur dark, base and apex of hind tibia with discrete dark pigmentation, pale at midlength, 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. 78D): Light brown, with sternites 1–2 dark brown, tergites 5–7 medium brown, segment 8 medium brown, segment 9 dark brown. Genitalia (Fig. 82): Gonocoxite pale, strongly tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with seta 2 or setae 2, 3 thicker than others, with row restricted to dorsal portion of gonocoxite, some specimens with disproportional gap between seta 2 and more posterior setae in row. With one dorsomedial stout seta, more or less of even thickness for most of length, tapering near apex. Gonostylus (partially extended) straight for most of length, curved apically, slender, of more or less equal thickness for entire length, somewhat expanded apically, apex slightly rounded; one elongate, slender subbasal seta, situated anteriorly or anteroventrally; apical seta slender, slightly elongate, simple. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering from base but with slightly greater narrowing subapically, 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, not extending ventrally between ommatidia ( Fig. 16E). Antennal flagellomeres as in Fig. 28H, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 17 AK) wide. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus as in Fig. 34G. Wing (Fig. 68N): similar to male but with additional somewhat darkened scales in basal band. Halter dark brown, equal to scutellum. Legs: Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Light brown with sternites 1–2, segments 8–9 dark brown; in some with tergites 5–7 medium brown. Cercus light brown.

Pupa. Mostly undescribed. Thorax: Scutum, metathorax each with spherical sensory pit (as in Fig. 100A). Respiratory organ (Fig. 101J): Tubular. Abdomen (Fig. 106A): 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 brandiae is known from Venezuela (Fig. 133) at a altitudes ranging from 191–1160 m. Specimens have been reared from flower bracts of Calathea and Heliconia and from leaf axils of Calathea and terrestrial aroids. The specimens from the Belkin “Mosquitoes of Middle America” project are identified in Table 12.

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: Males and females were associated through the shared presence of a distinctive pigmentation pattern and were reared together at the same locality at, or near, Rancho Grande, Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela. Lane (1942: 113) described the male of C. brandiae from Rancho Grande, 18-IX- 1927 as the allotype of C. inca (incorrectly given as 9-IX-1927), a species previously described by Lane (1939a). This subsequent designation therefore has no status. The female holotype of C. inca is described under that species elsewhere.

TYPES: Holotype, male adult on microscope slide, labeled " HOLOTYPE Corethrella brandiae Borkent ”, “Maracay, Ven., Aug. 15, 1927, No. 161C1+2", “ Corethrella Venezuela sp. G” (USNM). Allotype, female adult on microscope slide, labeled as for holotype but No. 161C ( USNM) . Paratypes: 3 ♂, 6 ♀ from type locality (2 ♂, 5 ♀, USNM; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, CNCI) ; 1 ♂, Rancho Grande , Venezuela, 18-IX-1927 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂ with pupal exuviae, 3 ♀, Trail NE of Rancho Grande, Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela, 1100 m, 5-VII-1969 (1 ♂ with pupal exuviae, CNCI; 3 ♀, USNM) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♂ both with larval and pupal exuviae, 1 ♀ with pupal exuviae, Trail NE of Rancho Grande, Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela, 1100 m, 9-VII-1969 ( USNM) ; 2 ♂, 1♀ each with pupal exuviae, Rancho Grande , Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela, 1100 m, 1-VIII-1969 (2 ♂, USNM; 1 ♀, CNCI) ; 1 ♂ with pupal exuviae, Rancho Grande , Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela, 1100 m, 1-VIII-1969 ( USNM) ; 2 ♂ each with pupae exuviae, 1 ♂ with larval and pupal exuviae, Trail NE of Rancho Grande, Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela, 1100 m, 20-VII-1969 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Ocumare , Venezuela, 4-VII-1927 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name brandiae is proposed for my lovely daughter-in-law Brandi Borkent in recognition of the gifts she has given me: published and unpublished poems that have enriched my spirit, many good laughs and, best of all, her love.