Corethrella (Corethrella) aurita Borkent, 2008

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 122-123

Corethrella (Corethrella) aurita Borkent , new species

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: unknown. Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with each of flagellomeres 1–3 moderately elongate ( Fig. 29H), flagellomere 3 without a sensillum coeloconicum, flagellomeres 10–12 each with one sensillum coeloconicum, a distinct midlength wing band but without dark scales on R 4+5, apex of wing (including scales on wing margin) without dark scales (Fig. 69L), scutum patterned and mostly light brown, pleura mostly dark brown, femora thick, midfemur dark brown but with apical 0.1–0.2 pale, bases of mid- and hind femur equally dark brown, the base of hind tibia darkly pigmented (contrasting with pale apex of hind femur), and mid- and hind leg tarsomeres 2–4 banded ( Fig. 50B).

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Unknown. Female adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 6–11. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate ( Fig. 10I). Coronal suture elongate, extending ventrally past ommatida (as in Fig. 16G). Four large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16G). Antennal flagellomeres 1–5, base of flagellomere 6 light brown, apical portion of 6, all of flagellomeres 7-13 medium brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 29H, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with welldeveloped apical bifurcation. Clypeus ( Fig. 18G) wide. Mandible with small, pointed teeth. Palpus ( Fig. 34S) pale; segment 3 somewhat ovoid, swollen at or near midlength. Thorax (as in Fig. 50B): Scutum medium to dark brown with pattern, pleura mostly dark brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with group of about 4 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. 69L): 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, lighter than scutellum. Legs (as in Fig. 50B): Dark brown with knees of fore-, midlegs pale (midfemur with apical 0.1– 0.2 pale), hind femur with apical 0.4 pale, hind tibia pale with basal and apical 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. Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Empodia slender. Abdomen: Medium brown with segments 8–9 dark brown. Cercus medium brown.

Immatures. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella aurita is known only from the type locality in Panama (Fig. 122) at an altitude of 27 m. All specimens of C. aurita were collected by X. Bernal with a frog-call trap playing both P. pustulosus (simple call - whine) and H. gratiosa . The serrate mandibles of the female adults and their attraction to these calls suggest that they feed on frog blood in nature.

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: This species was referred to as species 2 in Bernal et al. (2006).

TYPES: Holotype, female adult on microscope slide, labeled " HOLOTYPE Corethrella aurita Borkent ”, “ Panama, Gamboa, Canal Area, 9°07.0'N, 79°41.9'W, 08-17-2003, X. Bernal,” (CNCI). Paratypes: 1 ♀ from type locality ( CNCI) ; 2 ♀ from type locality but 12-VII-2003 ( CNCI) ; 1 ♀ from type locality but 6-VIII-2003 ( USNM) .

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name aurita (attentive, listening) refers to the attraction of females of this species to frog calls.