Microtendipes quasicaducas, Qi, Xin & Wang, Xinhua, 2006

Qi, Xin & Wang, Xinhua, 2006, A review of Microtendipes Kieffer from China (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 1108, pp. 37-51 : 41-43

Microtendipes quasicaducas sp. n.

( Figs. 6–10 )

Type material. Holotype male, CHINA: Fujian Province, Daiyun Mountain, 12.IX.2002, light trap, W. Bu (BDN No. 20176).

Diagnostic characters. The new species is similar to M. caducas , but can be distinguished on the shape of the gonostylus. In M. quasicaducas sp. n., the gonostylus is broad, whereas it is slender in M. caducas . The color of the front tibia also differs; in M. quasicaducas sp. n., it is brown on the apical and basal one–tenth, whereas in M. caducas , it is brown on the apical one­tenth only.

Etymology. The species name is from Latin, quasi, meaning appearing as, and caducas , a closely related species.

Male imago (n = 1)

Total length 4.98 mm. Wing length 2.70 mm. Total length/wing length 1.84. Wing length/length of profemur 1.96.

Coloration. Head yellow. Thorax ( Fig. 6 ) greenish yellow with scutum, postnotum, and epimeron II brown. Abdominal tergites I–VIII pale green, tergite IX and hypopygium brown. Apical and basal 1/10 of front femur brown, front tibia with apical and basal brown rings; mid and hind legs with apical 1/10 of femur and basal 1/10 of tibia brown; remaining leg segments greenish yellow.

Head. AR 2.29. Temporal setae 17, including 3 inner verticals, 8 outer verticals, and 6 postorbitals. Clypeus with 22 setae. Tentorium 210 m long, 70 m wide. Palpomere lengths (in m): 50, 60, 250, 300, 430. L: 5th/3rd 1.72.

Wing ( Fig. 7 ). VR 1.07. R with 21, R1 with 20, R4+5 with 21 setae. Squama with 13 setae.

Thorax. Dorsocentrals 11, acrostichals lacking, prealars 4. Scutellum with 21 setae.

Legs ( Fig. 8 ). Distal half of front femur with 17 proximally directed setae in 2 rows, 190–200 m long. Spur on median tibiae 50 m long including 38 m long comb, unspurred comb 45 m long; spur on posterior tibia 30 m long including 50 m long comb, unspurred comb 50 m long. Width at apex of front tibia 65 m; of middle tibia 70

m; of hind tibia 70 m. Lengths (in m) and proportions of legs:

Hypopygium ( Figs. 9–10 ). Anal point 75 m long, slender, tapering from base, and apically pointed. Tergite IX with 5 setae medially and 20 setae at base of anal point. Phallapodeme 63 m long; transverse sternapodeme 50 m long. Gonocoxite 208 m long. Superior volsella ( Fig. 9 ) 138 m long, with 4 dorsal setae, 2 basal setae and microtrichia. Inferior volsella 125 m long, with 20 setae. Gonostylus 148 m long, with 6 setae along inner margin in distal 1/3. HR 1.41, HV 3.37.

Distribution. The species was collected in Fujian Province in Oriental China.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 10. Microtendipes quasicaducas sp. n., male. 6, thorax. 7, wing. 8, front femur. 9, superior volsella. 10, hypopygium.