Corneliola Giłka et Zakrzewska, 2013

Giłka, Wojciech, Zakrzewska, Marta, Dominiak, Patrycja & Urbanek, Aleksandra, 2013, Non-biting midges of the tribe Tanytarsini in Eocene amber from the Rovno region (Ukraine): a pioneer systematic study with notes on the phylogeny (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 3736 (5), pp. 569-586 : 575

Corneliola Giłka et Zakrzewska , gen. nov.

Type species: Corneliola avia Giłka et Zakrzewska , sp. nov. (by present designation and monotypy).

Derivatio nominis. The senior author dedicates the name to his recently deceased grandmother, Kornelia.

Diagnosis. Eyes hairy, with well developed dorsomedian extensions. Male antenna with 9–10 flagellomeres, distal flagellomeres separated in part or fused; female antenna with 6 clearly separated flagellomeres. Antepronotum well developed; tubercle on scutum absent. Wing spatulate, with anal lobe not developed, covered with dense macrotrichia except basal part; RM parallel or slightly oblique relative to R, R4+5 ending distal to apex of M3+4. Tibial combs of mid and hind legs separated, each comb with spur or with short spoor-like tooth. Gonostylus longer than gonocoxite, with strong spine-like apical bristle. Anal point without spinulae and crests. Superior volsella slender, somewhat conical, swollen in proximal part, with distinct digitiform extension. Digitus absent. Median volsella with well developed stem and long setiform and spindle-shaped lamellae.

Remarks. Corneliola displays an extraordinary set of structures, including the strong spine-like bristle on the apex of the gonostylus ( Fig. 4 D, E), a unique character here. The peculiarity of this new genus is expressed also by the following character combination: the hairy eyes with a long dorsomedian extension resemble Afrozavrelia Harrison (Stempellinina) ; the male antenna with less than 13 flagellomeres fits diagnoses of several genera of the tribe (most of the Stempellinina); the female antenna with 6 flagellomeres is known from Rheotanytarsus Thienemann et Bause (Tanytarsina) ; the spatulate wing with a strongly reduced anal lobe is similar to those known from Stempellinella Brundin or Zavrelia Kieffer (Stempellinina) ; the shape of the anal point ( Fig. 4 B, D, F) resembles that found in several Paratanytarsus Thienemann et Bause or Cladotanytarsus Kieffer (Tanytarsina) , but has no crests and/or spinulae; the slender superior volsella with the swollen proximal part is similar to that known from Constempellina Brundin (Stempellinina) , and the lack of digitus is characteristic of species or species groups of different genera in the tribe (most of the Stempellinina, but also the Tanytarsina). When a complemented character set based on that used for the Tanytarsini (e.g. Saether & Andersen 1998, Ekrem & Saether 2000, Saether & Roque 2004) is analysed, Corneliola and Constempellina are the closest genera, and Corneliola is treated as a member of the subtribe Stempellinina (we believe this is probable) on the background of the Tanytarsina (outgroup). However, the subtribal placement of the new genus must remain open until the set of published data on the oldest Tanytarsini becomes more complete (Giłka & Zakrzewska, in prep.).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Corneliola avia sp. nov., male. A— wing; B – H— hypopygium: B, D— dorsal aspect, C— ventral aspect; E— apical bristle of gonostylus; F— anal point (variation); G— superior volsella; H— median volsella (E, G, H— magnified twice relative to hypopygium drawn).