Corethrella (Corethrella) ananacola Dyar, 1926

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 98-101

Corethrella (Corethrella) ananacola Dyar

Corethrella ananacola Dyar 1926:150 . Type locality: Ft. Randolph, Canal Zone, Panama. Lectotype ♂ with associated pupal exuviae, here designated (USNM). Lane, 1951: 333. Lane 1953: 83.

Corethrella bromelicola Lane 1939a:108 . Type locality: Poço Grande, Juquiá, São Paulo, Brazil. Holotype ♀ (DEFS). Lane 1939b: 390, 1942: 107, 1953:76. New synonym.

Corethrella downsi Lane 1943:164 . Type locality: Sans Souci (recorded by Belkin et al. 1965 (Part V):71), Montevideo, Trinidad and Tobago. Holotype ♀ (DEFS). Lane 1953:77. Lane and Aitken 1956:530 (adult portion only; immatures uncertain). New synonym.

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with a distinct midlength wing band (Fig. 62M), thorax dark brown, midfemur medium 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. 46B), abdomen uniformly light brown or with sternites 1, 2 slightly darker, segment 9 much darker than segment 8, base of gonocoxite light brown and contrasting with medium brown tergite 9 (gonocoxite lightening apically) (Fig. 78B). Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with the clypeus nearly square (not elongate) ( Fig. 17 AG), each of flagellomeres 1–3 moderately elongate ( Fig. 28D), flagellomere 3 without a sensillum coeloconicum, flagellomere 12 with two sensilla coeloconica, a distinct midlength wing band and with or without dark scales basal to this band but if present, not arranged as a distinct band (Fig. 68J), thorax dark brown ( Fig. 46B), halter pale and lighter than scutellum, midfemur lacking scales and uniformly medium 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. 46B).

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 9B). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16F). Antenna light brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 21G, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with welldeveloped apical bifurcation. Palpus pale; segment 3 somewhat ovoid, swollen at or near midlength. Thorax (as in Fig. 46B): Dark brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 5 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. 62M): 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 lacking dark scales on R 4+5; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with well-developed scales. Halter pale. Legs (as in Fig. 46B): Dark brown with knees of fore-, midlegs pale, hind femur with apical 0.3–0.4 pale, hind tibia pale with basal and apical discrete 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. 78B): Light brown, with sternites 1–2 at most slightly darker, tergite 9 medium brown. Genitalia (Fig. 89C): Gonocoxite light brown basally, lightening apically, gently tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with seta 2 or seta 1, 2 equal and both 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) straight for most of length, curved apically, slender, of more or less equal thickness for entire length, somewhat expanded apically, apex pointed; one elongate, slender subbasal seta, situated anteriorly or anteroventrally; apical seta slender, somewhat elongate, simple. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering from base, 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 short, extending ventrally about midway along area between ommatidia to past ommatidia (as in Fig. 16F). Antennal flagellomeres as in Fig. 28D, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 17 AG) squarish. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus ( Fig. 34C): as for male but some with segment 5 slightly pigmented apically. Wing (Fig. 68J): similar to male but some with more basal dark scales on R, M, A. Legs: Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Light to medium brown, in some with sternites 1–2 slightly darker, segments 8–9 darker brown. Cercus medium to dark brown.

Pupa. Described by Dyar (1926), Lane (1939b, 1942, 1953). Thorax: Scutum, metathorax each with spherical sensory pit (as in Fig. 100A). Respiratory organ (Fig. 101H): Tubular. Abdomen (Fig. 105C): Segments 3–7 somewhat expanded laterally. Paddle only moderately elongate; apicodorsal thick spine articulating; apicoventral seta longer than thick spine.

Larva. Described by Dyar (1926), Lane (1939b, 1942, 1953).

Egg. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella ananacola is known from Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil (Fig. 124) at altitudes ranging from 0– 600 m. Adults have been collected using light traps and otherwise have been reared from immatures collected in bromeliads. The type series of C. ananacola were collected from a wild pineapple, Ananas magdalenae (misspelled on the label of the lectotype as Ananas madgalenae ), the holotype of C. downsi from a bromeliad Aechmea dichlamydea var trinitensis (given by Lane (1943) as Achmea dichlamis var. trinitensis ) and the holotype of C. bromelicola from an unidentified bromeliad. 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 common pigmentation pattern and were reared together in Trinidad and Tobago. The holotype adult female of C. bromelicola was originally on a pin, along with its pupal exuviae (in a small blob of Canada Balsam). Both were slide-mounted for this study. The associated larval exuviae of the holotype was previously mounted and is on a separate slide. The lectotype of C. ananacola and holotype of C. downsi were previously on pins and were also slide-mounted for this study. The male genitalia of C. ananacola was previously mounted on a slide and is badly shriveled.

Dyar’s (1926) in his description of C. ananacola stated that he examined “larva and adult” and referred in his description to pupal features; he did not designate a holotype. In the collection of the USNM there is a slide with a cleared larva and a pupal exuviae and labeled as a “type” of C. ananacola . A separate slide has a mount of the male genitalia with a label indicating that this is the terminalia of the “ holotype ”. The remainder of the “ holotype ” male was on a pin and was placed on the same slide as the previously mounted male genitalia. Because there was more than one specimen in the original type series, I am designating the male adult, with the accompanying pupal exuviae (likely that of the adult), as the lectotype of this species. It is uncertain that the larva and adult male are conspecific, even though they both originated from a pineapple plant in Panama.

Lane (1942) considered C. ananacola to be a synonym of C. appendiculata but in Lane (1951) recognized it as a valid species and placed C. inca as a synonym (here considered as a valid species). Lane (1953) described the larva and pupa of C. ananacola , based on drawings of type material (they closely match the original specimens). Lane (1939b, 1953) also described the larva and pupa of C. ananacola , based on the larval and pupal exuviae of the holotype of C. bromelicola .

I consider C. bromelicola and C. downsi as synonyms of C. ananacola because I could find no distinguishing features separating the types. However, the holotype female of C. bromelicola was missing its antennae and therefore if is possible that it represents a different species. The associated pupal exuviae lacked the medial abdominal pigmentation of other specimens of C. ananacola and this may indicate that it is indeed a valid species. A second female adult identified by Lane as C. bromelicola (his identification label) did have its antennae, having the features typical of C. ananacola . However this specimen had more abundant darker subbasal scales than other specimens I examined. Other adults identified by Lane as C. bromelicola are here referred to C. appendiculata .

Lane (1942) designated an allotype for C. bromelicola , after his original description of the species in Lane (1939a), and Lane and Aitken (1956) designated an allotype for C. downsi , previously described by Lane (1943), so neither have type status.

I was unable to locate the immatures identified as C. downsi by Lane and Aitken (1956) and therefore cannot confirm their observations of immature behavior and habitats as applying to C. ananacola . One female identified as C. downsi by Lane and Aitken (1956) is here considered a member of C. ananacola .

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Lectotype, here designated, adult male on microscope slide, associated (likely) pupal exuviae and paralectotype larva on separate slide, adult slide labeled “ Corethrella ananacola Dyar , Lectotype, desig. A. Borkent”, “ Corethrella ananacola Dyar ♂ terminalia Holotype U.S. N.M. Ft. Randolph, C.Z. Pan. ex Wild pineapple 8176-1, 12-6-1925 C.H. Bath”, “Type No. U.S. N.M”, “8176-1, Wild pineapple”, “ Ananas madgalenae 12/6/25”, “ 200 ft Hill Ft. Randolph C.Z. Pan. C.H. Bath”, “ Corethrella ananacola type Dyar”, slide with pupal exuviae and larva labeled “ Lectotype, Corethrella ananacola Dyar pupal exuviae, designated A. Borkent”, “ Corethrella ananacola Dyar , paralectotype, designated A. Borkent, larva”, ” Corethrella ananacola Dyar Type USNM Ft. Randolph, C.Z., Bath 8176-1 - type” ( USNM). Holotype, female adult with pupal exuviae, on microscope slide, labeled “ Holotype ”, “ Corethrella bromelicola Lane, 1939 ”, “ S. Paulo Juquiá, J. Lane col.”, “From Bromeliacaea”, “S.85 T.796”, “874”, “ Corethrella ananacola Det. A. Borkent ”, larval exuviae on separate slide, labeled “ Corethrella bromelicola Lane 1939 , larva, S.P. Juquiá. Lane ”, “No. 874, lamina 203, Divisao 4, Gavela 134”, “ Holotype - larval exuviae Corethrella bromelicola Lane ”, “ Corethrella ananacola Det. A. Borkent ” ( DEFS) . Holotype, female adult on microscope slide, labeled “ Corethrella (Corethrella) downsi det. John Lane 194”, “ Holotipo ”, “ Slide 5.VIII.42-1”, “ Montevideo Trin. 5/VIII/42”, “ex Ae. dichlamis var. trinitensis ”, “ W.G. Downs col.”, “4174 330/3293”, “ Corethrella ananacola Det. A. Borkent ”, larval and pupal exuviae on a separate slide, labeled “ Corethrella (Corethrella) downsi Lane , 43, Holotipo, ex Ae. dichlamis var. trinitensis , Montevideo, Trin. 5/VIII/42-1”, “No. 4.174, lamina 1.134, Divisao 4, Gavela 151”, “ Corethrella ananacola Det. A. Borkent ” ( DEFS) . 2 ♀, each with larval and pupal exuviae, OTS field station, Palo Verde , Puerto Humo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 15 m, 20-VIII-1971 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. George , “Las Lapas Trace “, 600 m, Trinidad and Tobago, 3-IV-1964 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. Mary , about 3 km N of Mount St. George, Hillsborough Dam, Trinidad and Tobago, 170 m, 26-XI-1965 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, with pupal exuviae, St. Mary , about 3 km N of Mount St. George, Hillsborough Dam, Trinidad and Tobago, 170 m, 26-XI-1965 ( USNM) ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, each with larval and pupal exuviae, St George , Aripo Valley, Aripo Rd. 3 milepost, Trinidad and Tobago, 150 m, 12-II-1966 (1♂, 1 ♀, CNCI; 1 ♂, USNM) ; 1 ♂, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. George , Aripo Valley, Trinidad and Tobago, 250 m, 20-III-1964 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. David , near “Cumana “, 30 m, Trinidad and Tobago, 19-XI-1964 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. George , Aripo Valley, Trinidad and Tobago, 250 m, 20-III-1964 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. Andrew , “Turure Forest, Turure Rd.“, Trinidad and Tobago, 30 m, 2-IV-1966 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. Andrew , “Turure Forest “, Eastern Main Rd. 26 3/4 milepost, 30 m, Trinidad and Tobago, 30-IV-1966 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, Arena Forest , Trinidad and Tobago, 7-II-1955 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, with larval and pupal exuviae, St. Andrew , “Turure Forest “, Eastern Main Rd. 26 3/4 milepost, Trinidad and Tobago, 30 m, 4-VI-1966 ( USNM) ; 1 ♂, Guana River Pump Stations , Instituto de Pesquisas e Experimentacao Agropecuarias do Norte , nr Belem, Para, Brazil, 30 m, 29–30-IX-1970 ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, Juquiá , São Paulo, Brazil, I-1941 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name ananacola refers to the presence of the immature stages in wild pineapple ( Ananas magdalenae ) noted by Dyar (1926).