Pseudosmittia triplex Strenzke

Ferrington Jr, Leonard C. & Saether, Ole A., 2011, A revision of the genera Pseudosmittia Edwards, 1932, Allocladius Kieffer, 1913, and Hydrosmittia gen. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae) 2849, Zootaxa 2849 (1), pp. 1-314 : 295-297

Pseudosmittia triplex Strenzke

( Fig. 117 F )

Pseudosmittia triplex Strenzke, 1950: 301 .

Material examined: AUSTRIA: Tirol, Zillerthal Alps, near Hornkesees , 2000 m a. s. l., holotype male, 1946, H. Janetschek, marked HKII/K 2 (b) (GP720)( NMS) .

Diagnostic characters: The male imago can be separated from P. forcipata by a lower AR of 0.54 and by having an apodeme lobe free of wrinkles.

Male imago (n = 1)

All measurements and ratios are within the range of variation of P. forcipata with the following exceptions: AR 0.54; terminal flagellomere 198 µm long; 4 inner verticals; BR of front and middle legs 2.7 and 2.9; apodeme lobe without wrinkles.

Female, pupa and larva

Unknown.

Remarks

The species is regarded as a synonym of P. forcipata by Ashe and Cranston (1991: 223) which may turn out to be the case. However, that would enlarge the already substantial variation in the antennal ratio of P. forcipata (0.70–1.48). We have not observed a lower ratio than 0.70 in any specimens without wrinkles on the apodeme lobe in any of the more than 200 mounted males.

Distribution

The species is only known from the type locality in the Austrian Alps.

Figures

FIGURE 117. Pseudosmittia spp., males. A–E, P. forcipata (Goetghebuer); A—cibarial pump, tentorium and stipes; B—palp; C—thorax; D—wing; E—hypopygium, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect; F—P. triplex Strenzke, male. (E from Andersen et al. 2010.)