Ablabesmyia (Karelia) daiensis, 2019

Niitsuma, Hiromi & Tang, Hongqu, 2019, Taxonomic review of Ablabesmyia Johannsen (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Oriental China, with descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 4564 (1), pp. 248-270 : 266-268

Ablabesmyia (Karelia) daiensis sp. n.

(Figure 10)

Type material. Holotype male, CHINA: Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Jinghong City, Menglun Town , Mekong River , near Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , 29.viii.2014 . Paratypes: 2 males, Yunnan Province, Honghe Hayi and Yi Autonomous Prefecture , Jinping County, Maandi Town , Ladeng Stream , 8.vi.2017 ; 1 male, as previous except 20.iv.2017; 1 male, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, Zengcheng, middle basin of Lan Stream , 2.xi.2017 .

Etymology. Derived from the type locality, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, China.

Description. Male (n=5). Total length 3.0–3.4, 3.2 mm.

Coloration. Thorax yellow with scutal vittae, anepisternum II, preepisternum, scutellum and postnotum dark brown. Abdomen pale yellow, with T VI and VII entirely brown, T VIII anteriorly brown, and hypopygium with light brown gonocoxite. Wing (Fig. 10A) with 2 dark spots at apices of R 1 and R 4+5. Fore- and midfemora darkened on basal 2/3, each with sub-apical dark band. All tibiae white, each with 3 dark bands. Sub-basal and median bands located 0.81–0.84, 0.82 (3) and 0.35–0.38, 0.36 (3), respectively, from apex in foretibia; 0.79–0.83, 0.81 (3) and 0.36–0.40, 0.38, respectively, in midtibia; 0.77–0.81, 0.79 (3) and 0.40–0.41, 0.40 (3), respectively, in hind tibia.

Head. Temporals 28–40, 34. AR 1.6 (2). Clypeus with 24–37, 31 setae. Lengths of palpomeres 1–5 (µm): 39– 44, 42 (4); 84–100, 95 (4); 98–123, 116 (4); 94–126, 114 (4); 165–246, 218 (4). Pm 4 /Pm 3 0.95–1.0, 0.98 (4); Pm 5 / Pm 4 1.8–2.0, 1.9 (4).

Thorax. Lateral antepronotals 12–21, 17; acrostichals 42–64, 53 (4); dorsocentrals 22–36, 29; humerals 14–20, 17; prealars 20–34, 26; supraalars 1; scutellars 32–57, 45.

Remarks. Among the known species of the subgenus Karelia , the male is most similar to that of the Afrotropical species A. (Karelia) kisanganiensis Lehmann as the fourth palpomere is relatively long (Pm 4 /Pm 3 0.95–1.0), and the aedeagal complex has an elongated dorsal lobe and a blade tapering toward the pointed apex. In describing A. (Karelia) kisanganiensis , however, Lehmann (1981: 10) wrote, “Dorsaler Lobus der Analhöhle gut entwickelt, sklerotisiert unt ohne Borsten; seine Spitze dorsalwärts gebogen. Blatt weitgehend gerade und apikal spitz zulaufend. Laterallobus deutlich, aber nicht sehr stark entwickelt. Lateralfilamente fehlen.” These disagree with the features of the aedeagal complex in the new species: the strongly tapered dorsal lobe with apical spiculae, the distinctly curved aedeagal blade and the well-developed lateral lobe merged with lateral filaments.

So far, only two species, A. (K.) paivai (Kieffer) and A. (K.) photophilus (Kieffer), have been known as the species of the subgenus Karelia from the Oriental region. The male of the former is smaller (total length 2 mm), and has entirely brown abdomen, according to Kieffer (1910). Unfortunately, the aedeagal complex is not described for this species. The latter is also distinct in the wing lacking the dark spot at the apex of R 4+5, the femora with three bands, and the aedeagal complex with a poorly developed dorsal lobe and an elongated lateral lobe ( Chaudhuri et al. 1983).

This is the first record of the subgenus Karelia from China.