Polypedilum (Asheum) sofiae, Pinho & Silva, 2020

Pinho, Luiz Carlos & Silva, Fabio Laurindo Da, 2020, Description of two new species of Polypedilum (Asheum) and immature stages of Polypedilum (A.) curticaudatum (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 4759 (2), pp. 179-190 : 181-182

Polypedilum (Asheum) sofiae sp. n.

( Figure 1 )

Type examined. Holotype male, slide-mounted: BRAZIL, Mato Grosso, Nova Xavantina, Estrada p/ Rancho Hel-ena—Córrego Voadeira , S14°41.577 W52°27.203, 13.x.2007, armadilha luminosa, Pinho LC, Mateus S, Torati L & Silva FR ( UFSC) . Paratype: BRAZIL, Rondônia, Cacaulândia, Sítio do Cabeça, S10°17’56.5” W63°14’12.0”, SISBIOTA—CNPq/FAPESP, Malaise 25 15.x–04.xi.2011, Lamas, Nihei & eq. col. ( MZSP) .

Etymology. The specific epithet honors our friend Sofia Wiedenbrug.

Diagnostic characters. The male of Polypedilum (Asheum) sofiae sp. n. differs from other Polypedilum (Asheum) species by having few (12–14) orally directed setae on inferior volsella, narrower gonocoxite, longer gonostylus and the non-pediform, with convex outer apical margin, superior volsella.

Description. Adult male (n = 1–2). Total length 2.93–3.17 mm. Wing length 1.59–1.78 mm. Total length / wing length 1.78–1.83. Wing length / length of profemur 2.10–2.11.

Coloration. Head light brown, palp brown. Thorax light brown with brown pigmentation at posterior area of scutum, postpronotum, postnotum, epimeron II and halter. Legs uniformly light brown. Abdominal tergite I brown, tergites II–VIII light brown with wide (about 0.6 of tergite length) transverse bands. Wings unmarked.

Head. Eyes bare, frontal tubercles absent. AR 1.87 (1); ultimate flagellomere 732 (1) μm long. Temporal setae 17 (1). Clypeus with 23–25 setae. Tentorium 98–113 μm long, 29–49 μm wide. Palpomere lengths (in μm): 39–44, 34–39, 123–137, 113–118, 206 (1). Third palpal segment 3 sensilla clavata, longest 15–17 μm.

Wing. VR 1.22–1.27. Brachiolum with 1 seta. R with 11–25 setae; R 1 with 13–17, R 4+5 with 24–36 setae, remaining veins bare. Squama with 8–11 setae. Anal lobe weak.

Thorax. Scutum with low tubercle. Dorsocentrals 13–20; acrostichals 10–12; prealars 5. Scutellum with 12–16 setae, uniserial.

Legs. Scale of foretibia 29–34 μm long, rounded and without spur. Spur of midtibia 54–59 μm long, including 49–54 μm long comb. Spur of hind tibia 64–83 μm long, including 49–64 μm long comb. Width at apex of foretibia 44–49 μm, of midtibia 49–54 μm, of hind tibia 49–59 μm. Lengths (in μm) and proportions of legs as in Table 2.

Hypopygium ( Figure 1A, B ). Tergite IX with 7–10 median setae. Anal tergite band well developed. Laterosternite with 3–4 setae. Anal point 35–42 μm long, slender. Phallapodeme 92–102 μm long, transverse sternapodeme 20–30 μm long. Gonocoxite 169–199 μm long. Superior volsella pediform with apical outer margin convex, 77–80 μm long, basal 2/3 covered with microtrichia and with 4 inner setae. Inferior volsella slender 97–100 μm long, with 1 strong apical seta projecting caudad, and 12–14 orally directed setae. Gonostylus 92–115 μm long. HR 1.74–1.83; HV 2.76–3.18.

Female, pupa and larva. Unknown.

Distribution. The new species is known from two localities in Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado in the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Polypedilum (Asheum) sofiae sp. n., adult male. A, tergite IX and dorsal aspect of left gonocoxite and gonostylus. B, hypopygium with tergite IX removed, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect.

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Polypedilum (Asheum) in neotropical region.