Pseudosmittia digitata Saether

Andersen, Trond, Saether, Ole A. & Mendes, Humberto F., 2010, Neotropical Allocladius Kieffer, 1913 and Pseudosmittia Edwards, 1932 (Diptera: Chironomidae) 2472, Zootaxa 2472 (1), pp. 1-77 : 38-39

Pseudosmittia digitata Saether

( Figs 100–105 )

Pseudosmittia digitata Saether, 1981: 25 , pro parte.

Pseudosmittia digitata Saether ; Cranston and Oliver (1988: 450), Pinho et al. (2009: 164). Material examined. SAINT LUCIA: Castries, lower slope of mountain behind Castries, holotype male and 5 paratype males, 9.i.1973 & xii.1972, Malaise trap, A.D. Harrison ( ZMBN Type No. 32) . SAINT VINCENT: Majorca, Yambou River, allotype female, viii.1972, Malaise trap, A.D. Harrison; Golden Grove Estate , Yambou River , paratype male, vii.1972, Malaise trap, A.D. Harrison. BRAZIL : Santa Catarina State, Urubici, Morro da Igreja , 1.822 m a.s.l., 2 males, 18.ix.–05.xii.2004, cloud forest, Malaise trap, L.C. Pinho & L.E.M. Bizzo ( ZMBN) . São Paulo State, Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, Peruíbe , 24º31'06''S, 47º12'06''W, 1 male, 6.v.2002, Malaise trap (Bosque 8), N.W. Perioto et al. (PEJU09: BIOTA-FAPESP) ( ZMBN) . Bahia State, Estação Ecológica Pau Brasil, Porto Seguro , 16º23'17.6''S, 39º10'55.6''W, 17.v. 2002, 107 m a.s.l., Malaise trap (Trilha 1), C.O. Azevedo et al. (BRPS10: BIOTA-FAPESP) ( ZMBN) . SURINAM: Paramaribo, 1 male, 15– 24.viii.1969, N. Nieser ( ZSM) .

Diagnostic characters. The male imago differs from the other members of the group by having a well developed inferior volsella, as in P. joaquimvenancioi , but also by lacking an apical elongation of the third palpomere. The female has tergite IX undivided and dark, circular seminal capsules as in P. joaquimvenancioi , but is also separable by the lack of a projection on the third palpomere.

Description. The species will be redescribed in detail by Ferrington and Saether (in manuscript).

Distribution and biology. In the Neotropical Region the species is recorded from Brazil and Surinam and from Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent in the Caribbean. In addition the species is known from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota, New Mexico and California in the U.S.A. and from Ontario and Manitoba in Canada.

In Brazil it was collected at about 1.800 m a.s.l. in a fragmented primary cloud forest belonging to the Mata Atlântica forest in Santa Catarina State and in two nature reserves in São Paulo and Bahia States. Both localities in São Paulo and Bahia are lowland areas along the Brazilian coastline .

The unknown larva probably lives in wet sand areas near rivers, lakes or the sea shore and probably tolerates high salinity.

Figures

FIGURES 100–105. Pseudosmittia digitata Saether, 1981, male. 100—tentorium, stipes, and cibarial pump; 101—palp; 102—thorax; 103—wing; 104—hypopygium, dorsal aspect; 105—hypopygium with anal point and tergite IX removed, dorsal aspect to the left, ventral aspect to the right.