Nubensia Spies

Spies, Martin & Dettinger-Klemm, Andreas, 2015, Diagnoses for Nubensia, n. gen. (Diptera, Chironomidae, Chironomini), with the first full descriptions of the adult female and larva of N. nubens (Edwards, 1929), Zootaxa 3994 (1), pp. 109-121 : 110

Nubensia Spies n. gen.

Etymology. Edwards (1929) named Pentapedilum nubens in view of the cloudy areas on the wing (the Latin verb form nubens translates to clouding, veiling). The new genus name reminiscent of the long established species epithet is intended to help recall which taxon is meant among many others, but also to reflect that the true relations of the animals the name denotes have been curiously veiled. For the purposes of nomenclature, the gender of the genus name is feminine.

Species included. Type species (original combination): Pentapedilum (Pentapedilum) nubens Edwards, 1929 . No congeneric species is known at this time.

Differential diagnoses. Adult males in Nubensia are considered as distinguished from those of other Chironomini by the following combination of characters. Antenna with (normally) 13 flagellomeres; wing extensively setose on many cells and veins, and with a pattern of darkened areas; fore tibia with one scale elongate but without spinose projection; antepronotal lobes reaching near anterior end of scutum but dorsally narrowed and separated; superior volsella with small transverse, setose base and long, strong and bare digitiform part; gonostylus medially with field of moderately long and strong setae, without row of long and fine setae. Single members of Phaenopsectra or Sergentia may share many but not all of these features, especially not the patterned wing.

Many adult females in genera of the Endochironomus complex, in Phaenopsectra or Polypedilum —to which Nubensia may be related—are known insufficiently or not at all; therefore, attempts to separate them at genus level seem premature. However, the thorax, wing and leg characters discussed above for the male of Nubensia nubens in combination with genitalia as characterized in the species description below appear to be unique at this time.

The pupa cannot be diagnosed simply among other Chironomini with relatively few branches to the thoracic horn and with abdominal tergite armament characterized by anterior transverse point rows. However, Nubensia appears distinguished by the absence of spinules around the frontal setae in combination with the abdominal pattern described below—notably the presence of conjunctive armament (i.e., an apical band sensu Langton & Visser 2003) on IV/V only, and the relatively few and short taeniae in the anal lobe fringe.

The larva stands out from all known Chironomini by the mentum teeth proportions combined with the absence of a labral lamella and the separation between clypeal sclerite and frontal apotome.