The Frog-Biting Midges of the World (Corethrellidae: Diptera)
Author
Published, First
text
Zootaxa
2008
2008-06-16
1804
1
456
journal article
11755334
Corethrella
(
Corethrella
)
harrisoni
Freeman
Corethrella harrisoni
Freeman 1962:43
. Type locality:
Magoebas Kloof
,
Transvaal
,
South Africa
.
Holotype
♂
(BMNH).
DIAGNOSIS:
Male adult
: only extant species of
Corethrella
from the Afrotropical Region with a plain wing (Fig. 61E) and banded abdominal segments 3–8 (Fig. 76E).
Female adult
: unknown.
DESCRIPTION:
Male adult
. Descriptive statistics: see
Tables 2–5
.
Head
: Outline in anterior view nearly circular (as in
Fig. 6F
). Two large setae on frons between ventromedial area of ommatida (as in
Fig. 16B
). Antenna uniformly light brown; pedicel without distinctive, more elongate, stout, dorsal or dorsolateral setae; flagellomeres as in
Fig. 19E
, sensilla coeloconica distributed as in
Table 1
; flagellomere 13 with welldeveloped apical bifurcation. Clypeus squarish. Palpus (as in
Fig. 33U
) brown with apical portion of segment 3 somewhat paler; segment 3 slightly swollen apically.
Thorax
(
Fig. 38D
): Most of scutum light brown, remainder of thorax dark brown. Posterior portion of dorsocentral row with 2 elongate setae situated somewhat lateral to one another. Prescutal suture elongate, thick, uninterrupted, extending to near dorsocentral row of setae. Anterior anepisternum divided diagonally by sinuous suture, dorsal portion about equal to ventral portion. Ventral portion of posterior anepisternum triangular, uniformly brown, with anterodorsal margin not thick.
Wing
(Fig. 61E): Apex of R
2
equal to apex of M
1
. Plain, without pattern of pigmented veins and/or scales; veins (other than wing margin) with slender scales. Halter slightly paler than scutellum.
Legs
(
Fig. 38D
): Light brown with fore-, midfemora darker brown, very apices pale; apical 0.6 hind femur pale; fore-, mid-, hind tibia with basal and apical darker, non-discrete pigmentation. With only slender setae, lacking scales (except for some in patch of whip-like setae on posterior portion of hind tibia). Midleg with thick, subapical setae on each of at least tarsomeres 1–3. Apices of fore-, midleg fifth tarsomeres undivided, with claws slightly subapical to apical (Fig. 75D). Claws of fore-, midleg equal in length, longer than those of hind leg (Fig. 75D). Each claw without inner tooth. Anterior claws of each leg without a basal prong. Foreleg claws unequal. Midleg claws unequal. Foreleg third tarsomere longer than fourth tarsomere. Empodia thick.
Abdomen
(Fig. 76E): Tergites 1–2 more or less uniformly pigmented, tergites 3–8 banded, each with anterior portion more darkly pigmented. Sternites 1–2 more or less uniformly pigmented least medially, pale laterally, 3–8 banded, each with anterior portion more darkly pigmented, at least medially. Segment 9 pale.
Genitalia
(Fig. 83D): Gonocoxite uniformly pale, gently tapering; anteromedial area with spicules similar in length to those elsewhere on gonocoxite; with well-defined dorsal row of setae, with setae of similar thickness as some other setae on gonocoxite except for most posterior setae thicker, with row curving posteromedially with posteriormost seta of row positioned dorsomedially. With one dorsomedial stout seta, tapering from base. Gonostylus (in retracted position) of uncertain shape but likely straight, curved subapically; slender at midlength, tapered apically; one elongate, somewhat slender subbasal seta, situated ventrally; with thick, blunt apical peg. Aedeagus slender, elongate, tapering gradually to apex, pointed apically, with lateral margins fused at very apex or separate apically.
Female adult and immatures
. Unknown.
DISTRIBUTION AND BIONOMICS:
Corethrella harrisoni
is known only from the
type
locality in
South Africa
(Fig. 114) and has been collected at altitudes of
800–900 m
.
TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION: I examined the
holotype
and
one paratype
of
C. harrisoni
.
Freeman (1962)
noted the presence of four other
paratypes
in the BMNH which were not available for study.
MATERIAL EXAMINED:
Holotype
, adult male on microscope slide, labeled “Type”, “
Corethrella harrisoni
Freeman, P. Freeman
det., 1961", “TRANSVAAL, Magoebas Kloof,
6-V-1955
,
A.D. Harrison
” (
BMNH
).
1 ♂
paratype
labeled as for
holotype
(
BMNH
).
DERIVATION OF SPECIFIC EPITHET: The name
harrisoni
was proposed in recognition of the collector A.D. Harrison.