Parakiefferiella liupanensis Liu & Wang

Liu, Wenbin, Sun, Bingjiao, Yan, Chuncai, Song, Chao & Wang, Xinhua, 2015, Two new species and one new record of Parakiefferiella Thienemann, 1936 from China (Diptera, Chironomidae), ZooKeys 545, pp. 139-148 : 141-145

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Chironomidae

Parakiefferiella liupanensis Liu & Wang sp. n. Figs 8-13

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (BDN. No.1168), China, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Liupan Mountain, Erlong river, 35°38'40"N, 106°31'40"E, 6.viii.1987, sweeping method, Wang XH. Paratypes: 4 ♂♂, as holotype.

Diagnosis.

The adult male can be distinguished from known species of the genus by the following combination of characters: anal point obtuse triangular with pointed and hyaline apex, lacking keel and bearing four setae placed laterally (two on each side); antenna with ten flagellomeres; all of the veins bare; inferior volsella square with rounded inner margin, not projected, occupying about half of the gonocoxite length, lacking dorsal setae and covered with microtrichia; ventral margin swollen medially; AR 0.33-0.37; HR 2.20-2.28; HV 2.36-2.43.

Description.

Male imago (n = 5). Total length 1.20-1.25, 1.23 mm. Wing length 0.78-0.85, 0.81 mm. Total length/wing length 1.45-1.47, 1.46. Wing length/length of profemur 3.38-3.58, 3.45.

Coloration of preserved specimens. Head and tergites brown. Thorax brown with dark spot.

Head. Antenna (Fig. 9) with ten flagellomeres. AR 0.33-0.37. Ultimate flagellomere 108-115, 112 μm long. Temporal seta one, including one outer vertical. Clypeus with 3-4 setae. Tentorium 62-72, 69 μm long, 7-9, 8 μm wide. Palpomere lengths (in μm): 12-14, 13; 24-26, 25; 28-34, 31; 28-36,32; 52-54, 53. L: 5th/3rd: 1.61-1.83, 1.81.

Wing (Fig. 8). Anal lobe moderate reduced. VR 1.02-1.18, 1.14. Costal extension 40 μm long. Brachiolum with one seta. All of the veins bare. Squama bare.

Thorax (Fig. 10). Antepronotal lobes developed. Antepronotum with one lateral seta. Dorsocentrals 5-7, 6; acrostichals absent; two prealars. Scutellum with four setae. Mesonotum with a tuft of hairs.

Legs. Spur of fore tibia 12-21, 18 μm long; spurs of mid tibia 9-12, 11 μm and 12-14, 13 μm long; spurs of hind tibia 9-10, 9 μm and 20-22, 21 μm long. Hind tibial comb with 9-12, 10 spines, 19-38, 23 μm long. Width at apex of fore tibia 19-22, 20 mm, of mid tibia 12-22, 17 mm, of hind tibia 18-22, 21 mm. Lengths (in μm) and proportions of legs as in Table 2.

Hypopygium (Figs 11-13). Anal point obtuse triangular with pointed and hyaline apex, lacking keel and bearing 4 setae placed laterally (2 on each side). Laterosernite IX with 2-4, 3 setae. Phallapodeme 19-21, 20 μm long. Transverse sternapodeme, straight 44-48, 46 μm long. Virga consisting of two spines, 20 -25, 23 μm long. Gonocoxite 79-82, 80 μm long. Superior volsella absent; inferior volsella square, occupying about half of the gonocoxite length, lacking dorsal setae and covered with microtrichia (Fig. 12); ventral margin swollen medially. Gonostylus 36-38, 37 μm long, narrowed apically, distinctly bent and curved inward in dorsal view; crista dorsal absent. Megaseta 5-7, 7 μm long. Without crista dorsalis. HR 2.20-2.28, 2.23. HV 2.36-2.43, 2.41.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the Liupan Mountain where the species was collected.

Remarks.

The new species can easily be separated from other related Parakiefferiella species by the following characters: antenna with 10 segments; anal point square, lacking keel and bearing four setae laterally; inferior volsella without dorsal setae and covered with microtrichia.

Parakiefferiella liupanensis Liu & Wang, sp. n. is closely related to Parakiefferiella bathophila (Kiffer, 1912). However, the new species differs from the latter on the basis of the following characters: (1) the antenna of the new species with ten flagellomeres, whereas Parakiefferiella bathophila possesses 13 flagellomeres; (2) the hypopygium of Parakiefferiella bathophila with triangular superior volsella, whereas in the new species it is absent; (3) the anal point of the new species obtuse triangular, not tapered apically, whereas Parakiefferiella bathophila gradually tapered to apex; (4) the shape of inferior volsella in the new species square, without dorsal setae, whereas Parakiefferiella bathophila triangular, with dorsal setae.

Female and immature stages unknown.