Nilothauma fittkaui (Soponis) Soponis, 2009

Mendes, Humberto Fonseca & Andersen, Trond, 2009, Neotropical Nilothauma Kieffer, 1921, with the description of thirteen new species (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 2063, pp. 1-45 : 22-24

Nilothauma fittkaui (Soponis) comb. n.

( Figs 27–29 )

Neelamia fittkaui Soponis, 1987: 19 , Figs 12–16 ; Spies and Reiss (1996: 71). Neelamia bergeri Soponis, 1987: 21 , syn. n.

Material examined. BRAZIL: Amazonas: Rio Marauiá, tributary of upper Rio Negro, near Mission Station San Antonio, 2 male paratypes of Neelamia fittkaui Soponis , 10.i.1963, light trap, E. J. Fittkau ( ZSM). BRAZIL: Pará: Paru de Oeste, igarapé Okueima (stream with slow current), male paratype of Neelamia bergeri Soponis , 18.iv.1962, light trap, E. J. Fittkau (A371–1, ZSM). BRAZIL: Espírito Santo: Linhares, Reserva Biológica Sooretama, 18º58'02.5''S, 40º08'11.1''W, 27 m a.s.l., 1 male, 24–27.iii.2002, Malaise trap (Trilha 6), C. O. Azevedo et al.; 1 male, as previous except for 18º58'03.0''S, 40º08'03.6''W, 49 m a.s.l., (Trilha 4). BRAZIL: Acre : Mâncio Lima, Parque Nacional do Divisor, igarapé Amor, 1male, 16.ii.2006, light trap, A. R. Calor; 1 male, as previous except for 18.iii.2006; 1 male, as previous except for igarapé da Cobra; 2 males as previous except for Rio Azul, 15.iii.2006; 1 male, as previous except for Pé da Serra, Rio Moa, in front of IBAMA office, 17.iii.2006, A. R. Calor & D. M. Lima. ECUADOR: Orellana, Rio Tiputini, Estación Biológica Tiputini, 00º38.275'S, 76º08.948'W, 200 m a.s.l., 3 males, 12–24.ii.2000, light trap, F. M. Quesada.

Diagnostic characters. The absence of dorsal lobe(s) on tergite IX and anal point combined with a pediform superior volsella and abdomen without dark bands will separate the male of N. fittkaui from all other Nilothauma species.

Male. The male is described in detail by Soponis (1987). Hypopygium and superior volsella as in Figures 27–29 .

Female and immatures. Unknown.

Remarks. The two Neelamia species, N. fittkaui and N. bergeri , described by Soponis (1987) were mainly separated on the shape of the inferior volsella and the posterior margin of tergite IX, the latter was described as rounded in N. fittkaui while rectangular in N. bergeri . Additional material shows that the shape of the inferior volsella is highly influenced by the positioning of the hypopygium on the slide during slide-mounting. The shape of the posterior margin of tergite IX also appears to vary gradually from subrectangular to rounded in the additional material. We therefore place N. bergeri as a junior synonym of N. fittkaui .

Distribution. This species was described from the Amazonian region, Brazil; recent collections from Ecuador and southeastern Brazil indicate a wider range.

fe ti ta1 ta2 ta3 ta4 ta5 LR BV SV BR p1 378 230 407 184 150 112 54 1.76 2.04 1.50 3.2 p2 389 248 137 58 40 20 18 0.55 5.73 4. 66 3.8 p3 425 378 184 86 101 61 36 0.49 3.47 4.37 4.8

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 29. Nilothauma fittkaui (Soponis) comb. n., male. 27 — dorsal aspect of hypopygium. 28 — hypopygium with tergite IX and anal point removed, dorsal view left, ventral view right. 29 — superior volsella, dorsal view.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Nilothauma aripuanense sp. n., male. 9 — dorsal aspect of hypopygium. 10 — hypopygium with tergite IX and anal point removed, dorsal view left, ventral view right. 11 — superior volsella, dorsal view. 12 — median volsella, dorsal view.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Nilothauma aripuanense sp. n., pupa. 13 — thorax, lateral view. 14 — thoracic horn. 15 — tergites I – VII. tergite VIII and anal lobe.