Corethrella ielemdei Feijó, Ramires, Lima & Pessoa, 2021

Almeida, Jessica Feijó, Picelli, Amanda Maria, Ramires, Adriane Costa, Belchior, Heliana Christy Matos, Marialva, Eric Fabrício, Lima, Hannah Inêz Monteiro Moreira, Ríos-Velásquez, Claudia María & Pessoa, Felipe Arley Costa, 2021, Description of three new species of frog biting midges (Diptera: Corethrellidae) from the Central Brazilian Amazon, European Journal of Taxonomy 778, pp. 148-166 : 155-158

Corethrella ielemdei Feijó, Ramires, Lima & Pessoa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B2522305-03E9-4BA7-9792-696AC4A34802

Figs 5–6

Diagnosis

The species can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the following characteristics of the female adult. Coronal suture elongate, four large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatidia, clypeus squarish, with 42–43 setae; antenna uniformly medium brown, flagellomere I with two sensilla coeloconica, flagellomere II with one sensillum coeloconicum, flagellomeres IX–XIII with two sensilla coeloconica; posterior portion of dorsocentral row with a group of about eight elongate setae; wing with apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1 and with midlength band and dark scales on basal and subbasal areas of anterior margin; foreleg, midleg, and hindleg with femora and foretibia with dark scales.

Etymology

The name ‘ ielemdei ’ is based on the acronym of the Instituto Leônidas e Maria Diane - Fiocruz Amazônia, an important research facility for training and providing professional experiences for biologists, including taxonomists for the Amazon region. To be treated as a noun in apposition.

Material examined

Holotype BRAZIL • ♀ adult; Amazonas State, Manaus, experimental farm of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas FAEXP-UFAM , BR- 174 km 38; 02°38′44″ S, 60°03′13″ W; 7 Jul. 2019; H. Lima and A. Ramires leg.; from tropical forest and collected with modified light trap (‘frog call traps’); ILMD 0001-51 .

Paratypes BRAZIL • 7 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; ILMD 0001-52-56 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; INPA - DIP - 004618 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; CEIOC 81297 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as holotype; CZPB - DP - 008268 , CZPB - DP - 008269 .

Description

Adult female (n = 10) HABITUS. As shown in Fig. 5a.

HEAD ( Fig. 5b ). Laterally expanded in dorsal view. Coronal suture elongate, reaching the area between ventral margin of eye bridge ( Fig. 5c ). Four large setae on the frons between the ventromedial area of ommatidia.

ANTENNA ( Fig. 5b ). Uniformly medium brown; flagellomere XIII apically bifurcated; sensilla coeloconica distributed according to Table 1.

CLYPEUS ( Fig. 5d ). Squarish, with 42–43 setae. Mandible with small pointed teeth. Palpus dark brown; segment lengths: range; mean; 1.5 SD (in µm): 1 –(7.6–13.8; 10.8; 2.2), 2 –(15.4–22.1; 17.8; 2.6), 3– (31.8–38.2; 35.4; 2.4), 4 –(11.4–22; 16.1; 3.1), 5 –(21.8–28.7; 23.7; 2.7); average width: range; mean; 1.5 SD (in µm): 3 –(11.1–17; 15.5; 2.3), 4 –(8.1–14.5; 11.2; 2.3), 5 –(6.5–11.3; 9.4; 1.6), third palpal segment of constant width.

THORAX. Dark brown, scutum, scutellum, pale sclerites around the base of the wing. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with a group of approximately eight elongate setae. Prescutal suture short, not extending to dorsocentral row of setae. Anterior anepisternum dark brown, divided by diagonal suture, dorsal portion about equal to ventral portion. Posterior anepisternum dark brown, divided by transversal suture, with ventral portion triangular.

WING ( Fig. 6c ; Table 2 ). Apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1. Anterior margin with differently and discretely pigmented scales, with midlength band, with darker more basal scales along all veins (except A 1); some scattered dark scales on basal and subbasal areas of anterior margin; veins with well-developed scales. Halter dark brown, darker than scutellum.

LEGS ( Fig. 6a ). Dark to light brown and slender setae light brown. Foreleg with femur entirely dark brown and thin dark scales on upper margin of medial portion extending near apex of femur; tibia dark brown, with thin dark scales on lower margin extending from the base to middle of the structure, first tarsomere dark brown and about 2/10 of the total light brown structure in base region, and other tarsomeres dark brown. Midleg with dark brown femur with a tuft of thin dark scales near apex region of the structure, tibia, and tarsomeres entirely dark brown. Hindleg with entirely light brown femur with a tuft of dark scales on posterior margin near apex of the structure, tibia predominantly light brown but about 3/10 dark brown in the apex region, tarsomeres 1 to 5 dark brown; tarsal claws equal, inserted apically; each claw without inner tooth. Empodia ( Fig. 6b ). With thickness larger than apical bristles of last tarsomere, longer than average diameter of last tarsomere, with seven bifid branches.

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 6d ). Uniformly dark brown. One ovoid spermatheca. Cercus dark brown.

Male

Unknown

Distribution

The species is known only from its type locality in the experimental farm of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas FAEXP-UFAM, Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil.

Taxonomic comments

The characters present in C. ielemdei sp. nov., as distribution of sensilla coeloconica, eight setae in the dorsocentral region of the thorax, and dark brown cercus and halter, are shared with C. squamifemora Borkent, 2008 and C. hirta Borkent, 2008 . However, they can be distinguished from these species by the presence of an elongated coronal suture (in C. squamifemora and in C. hirta , they are shorter), four long setae between the ommatidia (in C. squamifemora and in C. hirta , there are just two), and squarish clypeus (in C. squamifemora and in C. hirta , they are broadly roundish). The presence of an elongate coronal suture, a dark antenna, and the wing with the apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1 in C. ielemdei sp. nov. are also shared with C. albicoxa Borkent, 2008 , C. appendiculata Grabham, 1906 , C. calathicola Edwards, 1930 , and C. melanica Lane & Aitken, 1956 . However, the new species can be distinguished from these by the dark brown palpus in comparison to the pale palpus in C. albicoxa , C. appendiculata , C. calathicola , and C. melanica . The third palpal segment is evenly broad throughout its length in C. ielemdei sp. nov., whereas in C. albicoxa , C. appendiculata , C. calathicola , and C. melanica it is somewhat swollen in the middle of this segment. In addition, the pattern and distribution of dark bands and scales along the wing are different in C. ielemdei sp. nov., C. albicoxa , C. appendiculata , C. calathicola , and C. melanica .

Corethrella ielemdei sp. nov. shares characteristics with species in the appendiculata group ( Borkent 2008), including scales on the femora and tibiae, and having a group of more than three elongated setae in posterior dorsocentral region of the thorax. The color of the medial and posterior femur distinguishes C. ielemdei sp. nov. from the other species of this group. The description of males and immature stages will probably confirm the inclusion of this species in the appendiculata group.

We suggest to incorporate the following couplets in the Corethrella . Key by ( Borkent 2008) to identify adult females of C. ielemdei sp. nov.

47. Midfemur dark brown, contrasting with hindfemur which is entirely light brown ............................ .............................................................................................................................. C. ielemdei sp. nov.

– Base of the midfemur with distinct color; base of the hindfemur ranging from light brown to dark brown............................................................................................................................................... 48

Figures

Fig. 5. Microphotography of Corethrella ielemdei. Feijó, Ramires, Lima & Pessoa sp. nov., ♀, (ILMD 0001– 51).a. Habitus. b. Head. c. Head with coronal suture elongate. d. Clypeus. Scale bars: a = 1 mm; b = 100μm; c– d = 50 μm.

Fig. 6. Microphotography of Corethrella ielemdei Feijó, Ramires, Lima & Pessoa sp. nov. ♀, (ILMD 000 -51). a. Legs. b. Tarsal claw with empodium. c. Wings. d. Abdomen. Scale bars: a = 100 μm; b = 10 μm; c–d = 500μm.