Pseudosmittia brachydicrana (Edwards)

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 : 221-223

Pseudosmittia brachydicrana (Edwards)

( Fig. 84 C–H )

Orthocladius brachydicranus Edwards, 1927: 243 .

Smittia micronesiana Tokunaga, 1964: 526 , syn. n.

Ancylocladius relicinus Sublette et Wirth, 1972: 5 , syn. n.

Pseudosmittia micronesia (Tokunaga) , Cranston & Martin (1989: 262), error for micronesiana . Orthocladius (Smittia) wirthi Hardy 1960: 145 , syn. n.,

not Smittia wirthi Freeman, 1961 [= Allocladius wirthi ]. Pseudosmittia brachydicrana (Edwards) ; Cranston & Martin (1989: 262).

Not Pseudosmittia setiforceps (Tokunaga) . Wrongly synonymized by Cranston & Martin (1989: 262).

Material examined: TAHITI: Lectotype male, here designated, Papenoo, Min Churman, 13.v.1925, 46G, marked Orthosmittia (BMNH) . FED. MICRONESIA: Truk Atoll, Weno (Moen) Island, holotype male of Smittia micronesiana , 9.ii.1948, K. L. Machler ( USNM 66542); allotype female, same data as holotype of Smittia micronesiana except J. W. Beardsley ( USNM); 2 males, same data as holotype of Smittia micronesiana, (BBM) ; Truk Atoll, Tunas Island (Dublon), at light, 2 males, no date, K. L. Machlan ( BBM). PALAU: Anguar Island, 2 males paratypes of S. micronesiana , 4.ii.1948, Dybas ( BBM). MARSHALL ISLANDS: Arno Atoll, Ine Island, swarming, 2 males paratypes of S. micronesiana , 13.vi.1950, R. L. Usinger ( BBM). CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO: Diego Garcia, Balisage, 1 male, 14.v.1971, A. M. Hutson ( BMNH). KIRIBATI: Kiritinati (Christmas Island), near Blowholes, 10.31° S, 105.37° W, 1 male, 24.iv.1989, J. C. Cardale ( CSIRO). USA: Hawaii, Oahu, Kalihi, paratype male of Orthocladius (Smittia) wirthi , 2.vii.1946, W. W. Wirth ( BBM). JAMAICA: Runaway Bay, sweeping bay, shore wash, holotype of Ancylocladius relicinus Sublette et Wirth , 16–28.ii.1969, W. W. Wirth ( USNM 71267).

Diagnostic characters: The absence of an anal point and the indication of an anal lobe of the wing separate the male imago from other members of the group except P. yapensis and P. setiforceps which differ in having higher (above 0.64) and lower (about 0.48) LR 1, more well developed anal lobes and differently formed inferior volsella. The female imago has a divided tergite IX, costa before the extension with 26–27 non-marginal setae, VR 2 of 1.29– 1.35, straight Cu 1, 4–5 lanceolate sensilla clavata on the third palpomere, clypeus with 11–13 setae and 13–17 dorsocentrals.

Male imago (n = 10–12, except when otherwise stated)

Total length 1.42–1.88, 1.63 mm. Wing length 0.74–0.91, 0.84 mm. Total length/wing length 1.86–2.17, 1.95. Wing length/length of profemur 2.30–2.68, 2.39. Coloration infuscate yellow with dark vittae and markings to uniformly dark brown.

Head ( Fig. 84 D ). AR 0.41–0.58, 0.45. Terminal flagellomere ( Tokunaga 1964 fig. 5c) 127–187, 149 µm long, no apical strong seta. Temporal setae 4–6, 5 (7), consisting of 1–3, 2 (7) inner verticals, and 3 outer verticals, no postorbitals. Clypeus with? (10) setae. Cibarial pump as in Fig. 84 F . Tentorium 94–98, 96 µm (8) long, 18–23, 21 µm (8) wide. Stipes 85–103 µm (3) long, 18 µm (1) wide. Palpomere lengths (in µm): 23–30, 24 (9); 25–34, 30; 41–60, 55; 53–82, 70; 83–126, 109. Third palpomere ( Fig. 84 E ) with 7 (3) slightly scalpellate sensilla clavata.

Thorax ( Sublette & Wirth 1972 fig. 5). Median antepronotal lobes slightly reduced, antepronotum with 2–3, 2 (6) lateral setae. Dorsocentrals 12–19, 14; acrostichals 2; prealars 2–4, 3; no supraalar seta. Scutellum with 6–8, 7 setae.

Wing ( Fig. 84 C ; Tokunaga 1964 fig. 5h). VR 1.59–1.79, 1.63; VR 2 1.23–1.35, 1.30 Anal lobe weak but not reduced. Costal extension 7–21, 14 µm long. R 4+5 ending proximal to apex of M 3+4; Cu 1 straight. Brachiolum with 1 seta, other veins bare.

Legs. Spur of front tibia 34–48, 42 µm long, single spur of middle tibia 21–27, 24 µm long, spurs of hind tibia 38–50, 45 µm and 17–25, 22 µm long. Width at apex of front and middle tibiae each 17–26, 23 µm, of hind tibia 30– 43, 37 µm. Comb of 13–15, 14 setae; shortest seta 23–30, 26 µm long, longest seta 33–46, 40 µm long. Lengths and proportions of legs as in Table 54.

Hypopygium ( Fig. 84 H ; Tokunaga 1964 fig. 6h, Sublette & Wirth 1972 fig. 6). Anal point absent but tergite folded in some views or some specimens giving the appearance of a short triangular point; tergite IX with 8–16, 11 setae; laterosternite IX with 2–4, 4 setae. Phallapodeme 57–73, 63 µm long; transverse sternapodeme 36–57, 44 µm long; no oral projections. Virga ( Fig. 84 G ) 18–27, 24 µm long. Gonocoxite 128–151, 141 µm long; inferior volsella flared and free posteriorly, reaching to 0.95–1.00, 0.98 gonocoxite length. Gonostylus 64–73, 68 µm long attenuate, megaseta 5–7, 6 µm long; HR 1.90–2.25, 2.09; HV 2.11–2.57, 2.38.

Female imago (n = 1)

Total length 1.53 mm. Wing length 0.69 mm. Total length/wing length 2.21. Wing length/length of profemur 2.66. Coloration paler than in male.

Head. AR 0.44. Lengths of flagellomeres (in µm): 50, 41, 41, 43, 71. Apical antennal seta apparently lost. Temporal and clypeal setae, tentorium and stipes not measurable. Palpomeres 2–5 lengths (in µm): 25, 53, 53, 73. Sensilla clavata not measurable. Coronal suture apparently about 23 µm long.

Thorax. Antepronotals not measurable. Dorsocentrals 13, acrostichals 2, prealars 5. Scutellum with 6 setae.

Wing. VR 1.65, VR 2 1.35. Costal extension 117 µm long. R 4+5 ends slightly distal to apex of M 3+4; Cu 1 slightly sinuate. Brachiolum with 1seta, C proximal to FR with 3 non-marginal setae, C between FR and apex of R 4+5 with 24 non-marginal setae, C extension with 10 non-marginal setae, R with 7 setae, R 1 with 2, R 4+5 with 11 setae, other veins bare.

Legs. Spur of front tibia 27 µm long, single spur of middle tibia 23 µm long, spurs of hind tibia 37 µm and 25 µm long. Width at apex of front and middle tibiae each 24–25µm, of hind tibia 34 µm. Comb not measurable. Lengths and proportion of legs as in Table 55.

Abdomen. Tergite I bare; T II–VI each with 10–13 setae, T VII with 16, T VIII with 14 setae. Sternite I bare. Setae on other sternites not measurable.

Genitalia. Tergite IX slightly divided. Cercus 50 µm long. Other details not measurable.

Pupa and larva

Unknown.

Remarks

According to Tokunaga (1964 fig. 6h) the male hypopygium of P. micronesiana has an anal point. However, no such was present in any of the examined specimens, but some specimens had a fold giving the impression of a small anal point. It cannot, however, be excluded that some specimens really do have an anal point. The association of the badly prepared female is uncertain since Cu 1 of the allotype of P. micronesiana is sinuate and several details not observable. Two additional females are labeled P. micronesiana , but they both have two spurs on the middle tibia and apparently are listed under P. insulsa from Saipan, Chalan kanoa, in Tokunaga (1964: 530). They are redescribed under that species above.

Distribution

The species is known from Tahiti, Micronesia, Palau, Marshall Islands, Diego Garcia, Hawaii and Jamaica.

Figures

FIGURE 84. Pseudosmittia spp., males. A–B. P. setiforceps (Tokunaga), male. A—male wing; B—hypopygium, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect. C–H. P. brachydicrana (Edwards), male. C—wing; D—head; E—third palpomere; F—cibarial pump; G—virga; H—hypopygium, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect.