Corethrella coronata Amaral & Pinho sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: A8437BE2-3AE6-453D-B35D-AB237FB596E3

Figs. 3–4

Type material. Holotype: ♀ adult: CUBA, Guantanamo province, Baracoa Municipality, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Monte Iberia, “Pez Pega” stream, site 3, 20°29'21"N 74°44'35"W. Malaise trap. 29–31.X.2015, Orestes Bello-González leg. (Cuba02) (PERC) . Paratypes: as holotype, except: 20°27'22"N, 74°44'17"W, VI.2017. (Cuba24) (CEMHS).

Etymology. The specific name is a reference to the presence of the coronal suture, which differentiates it from other similar species.

Diagnosis. Adult female. Only extant species of Corethrella with flagellomeres I–III moderately short (in comparison to subsequent flagellomeres; Fig. 3A); third segment of palpus short (about 0.75 length of fifth), cylindrical; posterior anepisternum undivided, dorsoventrally elongate (Fig. 3C).

Description

Adult female (n = 2).

Head (Fig. 3A). Medium brown. Outline of head in anterior view somewhat laterally elongate; head W/L 1.40– 1.42. Coronal suture complete, reaching ventral margin of interocular space. Clypeus wide; 1.49–1.52 times wider than long, with 4 dorsal setae (Fig. 4A). Palpus with same degree of pigmentation as head; third segment roughly cylindrical, about 0.75 length of fifth. Mandibles serrate, lacinia sclerotized.Antenna (Fig. 3A): pedicel dark brown; with at least one thicker, distinctive elongate dorsal seta; flagellum as dark as head; flagellomeres I–III moderately short, XI–XIII short; flagellomere XIII with apical bifurcation. Sensilla coeloconica distribution: 1(9–13), 4(1). Cranial sensilla (Fig. 4A): Ocular row with 1 thick offset seta at ventral part; 14 thick setae extending shortly beyond vertex; vertex with several setae. Subocular row inconspicuous. Postgenal row with 6 slender/intermediate setae. With 2 ventromedial thick setae.

Thorax (Fig. 3C). Medium brown. Prescutal suture short, ending halfway towards dorsocentral row of setae (Fig. 4B). Anterior anepisternum divided longitudinally by sinuous suture. Posterior anepisternum undivided, dorsoventrally elongate. Sensilla (Fig. 4B): antepronotum with 4–5 intermediate setae distributed on anterior, ventral portions. Postpronotum with 1 thick dorsal seta, 1–3 intermediate more posteriorly. Scutum, prescutal area, 3 thick setae dorsoventrally aligned near prescutal suture, with 4–5 intermediate/thick setae more anteriorly. Antealar area anterior portion with 2 thick setae dorsoventrally aligned, with 3 thick, 13 slender/intermediate setae mostly distributed on ventral portion. Supraalar area, 3–4 thick setae longitudinally aligned, 4–5 intermediate surrounding. Dorsocentral row, posterior part with 2–3 thick setae; about 12 thick, 24 slender/intermediate setae completing the row. Scutellum with 9 thick setae. Posterior anepisternum without setae. Anepimeron with 2 slender setae.

Wings (Fig. 3D). Medium brown, without any pattern of pigmentation. Non-marginal veins with very narrow scales, resembling thick setae. Apex of R 2 basal to apex of M 1. Halter as dark as scutellum. Wing length 1.20 mm. R 3 /R 1: 0.74–0.75. R 2+3 /R 2: 0.24–0.28.

Legs (Fig. 3B). Medium brown; hind femur with basal 0.75 pale; hind tibia uniformly pigmented. Legs without scales. Midleg tarsomeres 1–3 with thick subapical setae. Tarsal claws equal; apically inserted. Empodium with intermediate thickness; intermediate length; with 5 bifid branches. Ta1/Ta2: 3.12. Ta3/Ta4: 1.11.

Abdomen (Fig. 3E). Uniformly medium brown.

Adult male: Unknown

Immatures: Unknown

Remarks. This species keys (loosely) to couplets 36 or 45 in Amaral et al. (2023) but reaches no further. Corethrella coronata Amaral & Pinho sp. nov. shares synapomorphies with species in the rotunda group proposed by Borkent (2008). These are: the posterior anepisternum undivided (unique apomorphy) and wing without pattern of pigmentation (homoplastic across the family). The combination of short flagellomeres I–III (in relation to remaining flagellomeres) with a short and cylindrical third segment of palpus is unique within the species group. Two other species in the rotunda group have short flagellomeres I–III, C. brevivena Borkent and C. globosa Borkent, but in both of these species, flagellomeres I–III are much shorter, the third segment of the palpus is distally enlarged, and they lack a coronal suture.