Corethrella (Corethrella) harrisoni Freeman, 1962

Published, First, 2008, The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera), Zootaxa 1804, pp. 1-456 : 53-54

Corethrella (Corethrella) harrisoni Freeman

Corethrella harrisoni Freeman 1962:43 . Type locality: Magoebas Kloof , Transvaal, South Africa. Holotype ♂ (BMNH).

DIAGNOSIS: Male adult: only extant species of Corethrella from the Afrotropical Region with a plain wing (Fig. 61E) and banded abdominal segments 3–8 (Fig. 76E). Female adult: unknown.

DESCRIPTION: Male adult. Descriptive statistics: see Tables 2–5. Head: Outline in anterior view nearly circular (as in Fig. 6F). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in Fig. 16B). Antenna uniformly light brown; pedicel without distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral setae; flagellomeres as in Fig. 19E, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in Table 1; flagellomere 13 with welldeveloped apical bifurcation. Clypeus squarish. Palpus (as in Fig. 33U) brown with apical portion of segment 3 somewhat paler; segment 3 slightly swollen apically. Thorax ( Fig. 38D): Most of scutum light brown, remainder of thorax dark brown. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with 2 elongate setae situated somewhat lateral to one another. Prescutal suture elongate, thick, uninterrupted, extending to near 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 not thick. Wing (Fig. 61E): Apex of R 2 equal to apex of M 1. Plain, without pattern of pigmented veins and/or scales; veins (other than wing margin) with slender scales. Halter slightly paler than scutellum. Legs ( Fig. 38D): Light brown with fore-, midfemora darker brown, very apices pale; apical 0.6 hind femur pale; fore-, mid-, hind tibia with basal and apical darker, non-discrete 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. Apices of fore-, midleg fifth tarsomeres undivided, with claws slightly subapical to apical (Fig. 75D). Claws of fore-, midleg equal in length, longer than those of hind leg (Fig. 75D). 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 thick. Abdomen (Fig. 76E): Tergites 1–2 more or less uniformly pigmented, tergites 3–8 banded, each with anterior portion more darkly pigmented. Sternites 1–2 more or less uniformly pigmented least medially, pale laterally, 3–8 banded, each with anterior portion more darkly pigmented, at least medially. Segment 9 pale. Genitalia (Fig. 83D): Gonocoxite uniformly pale, gently tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with setae of similar thickness as some other setae on gonocoxite except for most posterior setae thicker, with row curving posteromedially with posteriormost seta of row positioned dorsomedially. With one dorsomedial stout seta, tapering from base. Gonostylus (in retracted position) of uncertain shape but likely straight, curved subapically; slender at midlength, tapered apically; one elongate, somewhat slender subbasal seta, situated ventrally; with thick, blunt apical peg. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering gradually to apex, pointed apically, with lateral margins fused at very apex or separate apically.

Female adult and immatures. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS: Corethrella harrisoni is known only from the type locality in South Africa (Fig. 114) and has been collected at altitudes of 800–900 m.

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: I examined the holotype and one paratype of C. harrisoni . Freeman (1962) noted the presence of four other paratypes in the BMNH which were not available for study.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype, adult male on microscope slide, labeled “Type”, “ Corethrella harrisoni Freeman, P. Freeman det., 1961", “TRANSVAAL, Magoebas Kloof, 6-V-1955, A.D. Harrison ” ( BMNH). 1 ♂ paratype labeled as for holotype ( BMNH).

DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name harrisoni was proposed in recognition of the collector A.D. Harrison.