Corethrella (Corethrella) amazonica Lane, 1942

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 86-88

Corethrella (Corethrella) amazonica Lane

Corethrella amazonica Lane 1939a:110 . Type locality: Porto Velho , Rio Madeiram, Rondonia, Brazil. Holotype ♀ (loca-

tion unknown). Corethrella (Lutzomiops) amazonica: Lane 1942:131 . Lutzomiops amazonica: Lane 1953:99 . Corethrella (Lutzomiops) coutinhoi Lane 1942:131 . Type locality: Palmeira, São Paulo, Brazil. Holotype ♂ (DEFS).

Lane 1951:333. Lutzomiops coutinhoi: Lane 1951:333 .

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with a plain wing (Fig. 62F), with the thorax uniformly medium brown (as in Fig. 44C), the halter as dark as the scutellum, with the foretrochanter pale and contrasting with dark foretibia, and uniformly light or medium brown femora and tibia with only the base of the hind femur slightly more pale (as in Fig. 44C). Female adult: only extant species of Corethrella in the New World with flagellomeres 1–3 elongate ( Fig. 27J), a plain wing (Fig. 68D), the thorax uniformly medium brown ( Fig. 44C), the halter as dark as the scutellum, the foretrochanter pale and contrasting with dark foretibia, uniformly light or medium brown femora and tibia with only the base of the hind femur slightly more pale ( Fig. 44C).

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view laterally elongate (as in Fig. 8E). Four large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16D). Antenna uniformly brown; pedicel with at least one distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral seta; flagellomeres as in Fig. 20I, sensilla coeloconica (as in Fig. 15H) distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with well-developed apical bifurcation. Palpus brown; segment 3 of constant width. Thorax (as in Fig. 44C): Nearly uniformly medium brown, pale sclerites around base of wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with 2 elongate setae situated somewhat lateral to one another. 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. 62F): Apex of R 2 equal to apex of M 1. Plain, without pattern of pigmented veins and/or scales; veins (other than costa and wing margin) with welldeveloped scales. Halter as dark as scutellum. Legs (Fig. as in Fig. 44C): Nearly uniformly medium brown, base of hind femur pale; foretrochanter pale, contrasting with dark forefemur. Femora, tibiae and at least some tarsomeres with broad scales (also 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 bilobed in dorsoventral view, with claws subapical (as in Fig. 75E). Elongate claw of foreleg shorter than that of midleg, both longer than those of hind leg. Each claw without inner tooth. Anterior claws of each leg without a basal prong. Foreleg claws unequal. Midleg claws unequal. Foreleg third tarsomere longer than fourth tarsomere. Empodia slender. Abdomen (Fig. 77G): Segment 1–7 medium brown, segment 8–9 light brown. Genitalia (Fig. 87D): Gonocoxite uniformly pale, strongly tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with basal setae nearly equal in basal diameter as some other scattered setae on gonocoxite, with 2 basal setae of row stout, slightly enlarged and bent subapically, 2 more posterior setae slender, with row restricted to dorsal portion of gonocoxite. With two dorsomedial stout setae, anterior seta more or less of even thickness for most of length, tapering near apex, posterior seta tapering from base, anterior seta more stout, bases joined by sclerotized plate. Gonostylus (in retracted position) straight, of more or less equal thickness for entire length, rounded apically; one elongate, somewhat thick subbasal seta, situated posteroventrally; apical seta somewhat stout, elongate, simple. Aedeagus squat, somewhat triangular, 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 (as in Fig. 16D). Antennal flagellomeres as in Fig. 27J, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1. Clypeus ( Fig. 17 AA) squarish. Mandible with large, triangular teeth. Palpus as in Fig. 33 AC. Wing (Fig. 68D). Legs: Apices of fore-, midleg fifth tarsomeres undivided, with claws situated slightly subapically to apically. Claws of each leg equal to those of others; equal on each leg, simple (without inner teeth). Abdomen: Uniformly medium brown.

Pupa. Undescribed (see below).

Larva. Undescribed (see below).

Egg. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella amazonica is known from the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico south to Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil (Fig. 123) at altitudes ranging from 0– 500 m. Specimens have been collected using frog-call, light and Malaise traps and have been reared from ground pools in Trinidad and Tobago. Another reared specimen came from a crab-hole (in Nicaragua). The serrate mandibles of the female adults and their attraction to the taped calls of Hyla gratiosa , Physalaemus pustulosus (collected by X. Bernal), and Bufo typhonius (collected by G. Bourne) suggest that they feed on frog blood in nature. At La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, female adult C. amazonica were one of the most common species in the frog-call traps (using Hyla gratiosa ), making up between 55– 80% of the total Corethrella collected March 2, 2004 (total numbers of C. amazonica in four samples: 41, 83, 148 and 170 specimens).

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: Males and females were associated through the shared presence of a similar pigmentation pattern and were collected together at one location in French Guiana and at one location in Mexico.

The female holotype and single female paratype of C. amazonica are missing. Although stated by Lane (1953) to be in the USNM, no subsequent author has found them there (including me, in 1974). However, I have examined other material identified by Lane as C. amazonica (1 ♂, 1 ♀) and Lane, as author of both C. amazonica and C. coutinhoi , considered these names synonymous. I have accepted that decision here and have used the male holotype of C. coutinhoi to identify the species at hand. The female allotype of C. coutinhoi is also missing.

The male holotype of C. coutinhoi was originally pinned, with the male genitalia in poor condition in a small Canada Balsam preparation under the pinned specimen. All parts are now on a microscope slide. The genitalia was sufficiently preserved to observe that the basal pair of setae in the dorsal row are only weakly expanded subapically and that apical seta of the gonostylus is stout and elongate, and together with the contrasting pale foretrochanter, this confirms its identity as C. amazonica .

Specimens from Trinidad and Tobago, and from Nicaragua have been reared and the associated immatures are likely in the USNM but were not seen by this author.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype, adult male on microscope slide, labeled “holotipo Corethrella coutinhoi Lane , 41, S. Paulo, Palmeira, III-41, Coutinho col., Corethrella amazonica Lane Det. A. Borkent ” ( DEFS). 1 ♂, Celestún, Reserva Ria Celestún, Yucatán, Mexico, 0–15 m, 16-VII-1996 ( IDRE); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, as for previous locality but 8–9-IV-1997 ( IDRE); 1 ♂, Peten Tucha, Mpio Ria Largartos, Reserva Ria Largartos, Yucatán, Mexico, 0–15 m, 4-IV- 1997 ( IDRE); 1 ♀, as for previous locality but 1-XII-1995 ( IDRE); 1 ♀, about 4 km S., Bluefields, Zelaya, Nicaragua, 5 m, 28-XI-1971 ( USNM); 5 ♀, Manuel Antonio National Park , Costa Rica, 17-XI-1993 (3, CNCI; 2, INBC); 1 ♀, 5 km NW Rincón, Osa Peninsula , Costa Rica, 10-VIII-2001 ( CNCI); 1 ♀, nr administration building (9E58.52'N, 83E27.15'W), Barbilla National Park , 500 m, 10-II-2006 ( CNCI); 2 ♀, Sendero Real, Agua Fria, Tortuguero National Park , Costa Rica, 20–50 m, 14–16-VIII-2004 ( INBC; INMA); 1 ♂, as for previous locality but 98 m, 14–24-VIII-2004 ( INBC); 3 ♀, La Selva Biological Station , Puerto Viejo de la Sarapiqui, Heredia, Costa Rica, 40 m, 1-III-2004 ( CNCI); 1 ♂, from previous locality but 1–2-III-2004 ( CNCI); 4 ♀, as for previous locality but 14-VI-2005 ( CNCI); 5 ♀, 3 km E. Cahuita, Costa Rica, 30-X-1993 (3 ♀, CNCI; 2 ♀, INBC); 1 ♀, as for previous locality but 28-X-1993 ( CNCI); 3 ♀, Sector Puerto Vargas, Cahuita National Park , Costa Rica, 5 m, 1-VIII–15-X-2002 ( INBC); 1 ♀, Leticia, Colombia, 24-II–1-III-1974 ( CNCI); 1 ♀, 10 km E Puerto Boyaca, Boyaca, Colombia, 170 m, 25-XI-1970 ( USNM); 1 ♂, La Fortune Estate, Vega de Oropouche , Trinidad and Tobago, 28-IX-1960 ( USNM); 1 ♂, as for previous locality but 24-X-1960 ( USNM); 1 ♂, as for previous locality but 7-X-1960 ( USNM); 1 ♂, as for previous locality but 17-X-1960 ( USNM); 1 ♂, Arena Forest , San Rafael, Trinidad and Tobago, 2–3-II-1955 ( USNM); 1 ♀, as for previous locality but 3-II-1954 ( USNM); 1 ♂, Nariva, “Bush Bush Forest “, Trinidad and Tobago, 1 m, 2– 3-XI-1965 ( USNM); 1 ♂, as previous locality but 9–10-XI-1965 ( USNM); 1 ♂, St George, Arena Forest Reserve , Trinidad and Tobago, 50 m, 27-VII-1965 ( USNM); 1 ♀, St. Andrew , “Turure Forest “, Eastern Main Rd. 26 3/4 milepost, 30 m, Trinidad and Tobago, 30-VII-1966 ( USNM); 2 ♀, Esperanza Estate, Vega de Oropouche , Trinidad and Tobago, 7-X-1960 ( USNM); 3 ♀, Dubulay Ranch, Guyana, 05°,40’56’’ N, 57°, 51’29’’ W, 14-III-2006 ( CNCI); 1 ♀, CEIBA Biological Center, 06°29N, 58° 13W, Guyana, 20-III-2006 ( CNCI); 3 ♀, 24 km SW Cayenne, Guyane , French Guiana , 5 m, 1–2-II-1965 ( USNM); 3 ♂, 5 ♀, 5 km SE Cayenne, Guyane , French Guiana , 5 m, 2–3-II-1965 ( USNM); 2 ♀, 5 km SE Cayenne, Guyane , French Guiana , 5 m, 3–4-II-1965 ( USNM); 1 ♀, 23 km S Cayenne, Guyane , French Guiana , 5 m, 4–5-II-1965 ( USNM); 3 ♂, 5 km SE Cayenne, Guyane , French Guiana , 5 m, 31-I–1-II-1965 ( USNM); 2 ♀, IPEAN, Belem, Para, Brazil, 30 m, 8–9-IX-1970 ( USNM).

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name amazonica refers to type locality of this species.