Pseudosmittia roquei, Andersen & Saether & Mendes, 2010

Andersen, Trond, Saether, Ole A. & Mendes, Humberto F., 2010, Neotropical Allocladius Kieffer, 1913 and Pseudosmittia Edwards, 1932 (Diptera: Chironomidae) 2472, Zootaxa 2472 (1), pp. 1-77 : 63-65

Pseudosmittia roquei sp. n.

( Figs 174–180 )

Material examined. Holotype male, BRAZIL: Minas Gerais State, Monte Verde, Camanducaia , 20.viii.2004, F.O. Roque ( MZUSP) . Paratypes: 2 males, São Paulo State, Usina Santa Isabel, Campos do Jordão , 27.ix.2002, A.P. Dias et al. ( ZMBN) . 6 males, Santa Catarina State, Urubici, Morro da Igreja , cloud forest, 1.822 m a.s.l., 18.ix.–05.xii.2004, Malaise trap, L.C. Pinho & L.E.M. Bizzo ( MZUSP, ZMBN) .

Diagnostic characters. The male imago can be separated from other Neotropical species with bifurcate gonostylus by the absence of an anal point.

Etymology. Named after Dr. Fabio O. Roque, who collected the holotype.

Male (n = 7–9, except when otherwise stated). Total length 1.46–1.78, 1.64 mm. Wing length 0.96–1.21, 1.11 mm. Total length / wing length 1.42–1.56, 1.50. Wing length / length of profemur 3.35–3.65, 3.50.

Coloration. Fully brown.

Head. AR 0.73–0.76 (specimens from Minas Gerais and São Paulo), 1.03–1.13, 1.07 (specimens from Santa Catarina). Ultimate flagellomere 233 µm long (holotype), 313–356, 339 (specimens from Santa Catarina). Temporal setae about 5–8, 6; consisting of 2–5, 4 inner verticals and 2–4, 3 outer verticals. Clypeus with 6–10, 8 (6) setae. Tentorium, stipes and cibarial pump as in Figure 174 . Tentorium 94–107, 99 (6) µm long; 22–28, 24 (6) µm wide. Stipes 90–98, 92 µm long. Palpomere ( Fig. 175 ) lengths (in µm): 10–14, 13; 25–36, 31; 56–82, 69 (6); 66–82, 73 (6); 84–98, 90 (5). Third palpomere with 2–3, 2 lanceolate sensilla clavata; longest 11–19, 15 µm long.

Thorax ( Fig. 176 ). Median antepronotal lobes reduced; antepronotum with 0–1, 1 lateral seta. Dorsocentrals 7–11, 9; acrostichals 2; prealars 2–5, 4; supraalar 0–1, 0. Scutellum with 4–8, 6 setae.

Wing ( Fig. 177 ). VR 1.47–1.58, 1.52. Anal lobe indicated. Costal extension 0–34, 11 µm long. R 4+5 ending above apex of Cu 1; Cu 1 nearly straight. Brachiolum with 1 seta; R with 0–3, 2 setae; other veins bare.

Legs. Spur of fore tibia 29–38, 35 µm long; spurs of mid tibia 16–23, 18 (6) µm and 11–16, 14 (6) µm long; of hind tibia 32–38, 35 µm and 14–19, 16 µm long. Width at apex of fore tibia 19–23, 21 µm; of mid tibia 19–25, 22 (6) µm; of hind tibia 25–31, 28 µm. Comb of 11–13, 12 setae; longest 25–30, 27 µm long; shortest 14–19, 17 µm long. Length and proportions of legs as in Table 23.

Hypopygium ( Figs 178–180 ). Anal point absent. Tergite IX with 9–17, 14 setae. Laterosternite IX with 4– 9, 6 setae. Phallapodeme 73–82, 77 µm long. Sternapodeme evenly rounded with no trace of oral projections, arched part about 38–59, 49 µm long. Virga triangular, 11–20, 17 µm long. Gonocoxite 119–141, 130 µm long. Superior volsella 32–35, 33 µm long, 6–9, 8 µm wide at base, with rounded to pointed apex, with few setae on tubercles medially, with anterior fringe of curved microtrichia. Median volsella double, both lobes irregularly triangular, covered with microtrichia and with anterior fringe of strong microtrichia, dorsal lobe 24–33, 30 µm long; ventral lobe 23–28, 26 µm long. Inferior volsella with digitiform, 18–19, 18 µm long, 6– 8, 7 µm wide anterior lobe, with few dorsal setae; median lobe 21–26, 23 µm long, 18–22, 20 µm wide, weakly curved with projecting apex, with dorsal, orally curved microtrichia and fringe of strong, curved microtrichia. Gonostylus 33–36 µm long (specimens from Minas Gerais and São Paulo), or 48–54, 50 µm long (specimens from Santa Catarina), tapering to apex; with 25–32, 38 µm long lateral lobe, with long, medially directed microtrichia; megaseta 6–12, 8 µm long. HR 3.33–3.64 (specimens from Minas Gerais and São Paulo), 2.42–2.82, 2.63 (specimens from Santa Catarina). HV 4.50–4.52 (specimens from Minas Gerais and São Paulo), 3.11–3.56, 3.35 (specimens from Santa Catarina).

Remarks. The specimens from Santa Catarina have higher antennal ratio, longer gonostylus and lower HR and HV than the specimens from São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The specimens from Santa Catarina were taken in a mountain area close to 1.900 m altitude, while the other specimens were taken at lower altitudes. As all specimens look identical, we considered them as belonging to the same species and ascribe the differences mentioned above to local variation most probably due to a longer life span at higher altitudes.

Distribution and biology. The species has been taken at rather high altitudes (above 1.000 m a.s.l.) in fragmented primary Mata Atlântica forests in São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Santa Catarina States. It was collected both with sweep nets and in Malaise traps.

Figures

FIGURES 174–180. Pseudosmittia roquei sp. n., male. 174—tentorium, stipes, and cibarial pump; 175—palp; 176— thorax; 177—wing; 178—hypopygium, dorsal aspect; 179—hypopygium with anal point and tergite IX removed, dorsal aspect to the left, ventral aspect to the right; 180—gonostylus.