Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) epleri Oyewo et Jacobsen

Oyewo, Emmanuel Adeoye & Saether, Ole A., 2008, Revision of Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) Kieffer and Ainuyusurika Sasa et Shirasaki (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 1953, pp. 1-145 : 55

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) epleri Oyewo et Jacobsen

( Figs 16–17)

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) epleri Oyewo et Jacobsen, 2007: 225 .

Material examined. USA: Florida, Everglades National Park , holotype male, reared from larva, 14.i.1999, D. A. Levitis ( NMNH) ; Florida, Everglades National Park , female allotype reared from larva, 14.i.1999, D. A. Levitis ; Florida, Everglades National Park , 5 males, 4 females, 10 pupae, 11 larvae paratypes, 28.x.1998, 14.i.1999, C. L. de la Rosa & R . E. Jacobsen; Florida, Highland County, Kissimmee River, Riverwoods Biological Field station , 7 males, 6 females, 4 pupae, 12 larvae paratypes, 24.vii.1998, 30.vii.1998, C. L. de la Rosa ; Ohio, Camden Lake , 5 males, 3 females, 4 pupae, 10 larvae paratypes, 4.x.1986, 21.vi.1987, 27.viii.1988, 6.viii.1989, 9.ii.1989, 20.ix.1990, M. Bolton ( ZXMBN)

Diagnostic characters. The species differs from other species with numerous macrotrichia on the wing, uniformly colored abdomen, and spur on the foretibia except P. (Pe.) tritum by having a microtrichiose base of the superior volsella. It differs from P. (Pe.) tritum by having a lower base of the superior volsella and slightly lower antennal ratio (0.9–1.2 as opposed to about 1.6). The pupa is distinguished from Nearctic and western Palaearctic Polypedilum species including P. (Pe.) tritum by having 7 branches in the thoracic horn, shagreen on tergite IV – VI separated into 4 fields, with median field entirely separated from anterior band and with paired posterolateral fields as well having spines on conjunctives III / IV and IV / V. Larvae can be distinguished from other known Polypedilum larvae by a 16 toothed mentum with the second laterals slightly longer and wider than the median and first laterals.

Distribution. This species is known from Florida and Ohio, USA.