Wuelkerella toncekensis, ANON SUAREZ & SUBLETTE, 2012

Siri, Augusto & Donato, Mariano, 2015, Phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Macropelopiini (Chironomidae: Tanypodinae): adjusting homoplasies, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 174 (1), pp. 74-92 : 90-91

WUELKERELLA TONCEKENSIS AÑÓN SUÁREZ & SUBLETTE, 2012

Material examined

Two adult ♂ and two adult ♀ with the associated pupal exuviae; eight pupal exuviae, Argentina, Río Negro Province, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, Laguna Schmoll, 41°11′36.7″S, 71°29′51.2″W, 1925 m a.s.l., 20.II.2007, hand net, M. Donato. Two adult ♀, Argentina, Río Negro Province, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, Laguna Tonchek, 41°11′54.2″S, 71°29′12.0″W 1747 m a.s.l., 24.I.2007, sweep net, A. Garré & F. Montes de Oca .

Based on the material above, the generic diagnosis for W. toncekensis male, female, and pupa ( Añón Suárez & Sublette, 2012) must be emended as follows.

Male

Scutal tubercle absent; antepronotal tubercle present; Antennal ratio 0.8–1.1, as described in Table 1 and generic description of Añón Suárez & Sublette (2012), but not as described mistakenly in the species description. Legs: tibial spur on p 1 85–88 long; foretibial comb absent; tibial spurs on p 2 80–88 and 62–68 long, tibial spurs on p 3 84–88 and 60–68 long; comb on tibia 3 reduced to absent; simple claws in all legs.

Female (N = 3 or 4, except when otherwise stated in parentheses)

Total length 4.63–4.93 mm. Total length/wing length 1.52–1.68.

Coloration: Thorax and wing spots as in male.

Head: Antennal ratio 0.25. Terminal flagellomere 130– 157 long. Clypeus with 12–20 setae. Palpomere lengths (1–5): 55–60; 90–108; 170–205; 180–215; 300–320 (2). Thorax: Antepronotum with between six and nine lateral setae, with a tubercle between these setae; pre-alars 19–26; supraalar 1; pre-episternals 7–15; dorsocentrals 56–70; prescutelars 4; scutelars 52–60; postnotals 4–7; anepisternals 3–4.

Wing: Length 2.75–3.25 mm; width 1.00– 1.13 mm; L/ W 2.75 –2.89. Costa extended 180–200 beyond R 4 +5. Squama fringed with 45–72 setae .

Legs: Foreleg: tibial spur 85–100 long, foretibial comb absent. Midleg: tibial spurs 92–105 and 70–82 long. Hindleg: tibial spurs 90–100 and 70–82 long; tibial comb absent.

Genitalia: Cercus 70–75 long. Seminal capsule 55–70 long; notum 245–255 (2) long; segment X with six (two) setae on each lateral side.

Pupa (N = 8–10, except when otherwise stated in parentheses)

Total length 5.6–6.3 mm.

Cephalothorax: Thoracic setation: Dc 1 (= Mt 2) very short, 7–20 long (5); Dc 2 (= Mth 1) spine shaped, smooth or slightly granulated, 90–120 long; length of Dc 1 / length of Dc 2 0.10–0.17; Sa (= Mth 3) 115–125 (2) long. Distance between Dc 1 and Dc 2 130–170; between Dc 2 and Sa 250–290. One MAps simple, 95–145 long. Two? LAps: one simple, 100–145 (4) long; only the insertions of the other were observed.

Abdomen: Scar on segment I present. Shagreen with between two and five serially arranged short spines. Segments VII and VIII with five pairs of lateral taeniate setae; anal lobe with two pairs of long and taeniate lateral setae. Position of LS 1 /segment length 0.48– 0.55 on segment VII; 0.18–0.27 on segment VIII. Anal lobe 790–890 long; 350–430 wide; L/W = 2.00–2.29. Position of LS /anal lobe length 0.14–0.18 for LS 1; 0.20– 0.28 for LS 2.

Male genital sac 330 (1) long; length of male genital sac/length of anal lobe 0.39 (1).

Remarks: This species closely resembles Apsectrotanypus in the presence of postnotals, the absence of a foretibial comb, a reduced comb on p3 and simple claws on the male legs, and the shape of the thoracic horn and shagreen in the pupa. The discovery and description of the larval stage of W. toncekensis , or its inclusion in a molecular study, will define the validity of this genus or whether it should be transferred to Apsectrotanypus .