Polypedilum (Tripodura) harteni Andersen & Mendes

Zhang, Ruilei, Song, Chao, Qi, Xin & Wang, Xinhua, 2016, Taxonomic review on the subgenus Tripodura Townes (Diptera: Chironomidae: Polypedilum) from China with eleven new species and a supplementary world checklist, Zootaxa 4136 (1), pp. 1-53 : 18

Polypedilum (Tripodura) harteni Andersen & Mendes

Polypedilum (Tripodura) harteni Andersen & Mendes, 2010: 593 .

Polypedilum (Tripodura) harteni Andersen & Mendes, Qi et al., 2013:74 .

Material examined. 10 males, CHINA, Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou City, Qingjiang Town, Fuyantou Village, 10. VIII. 2010, light trap, X. Lin. 2 males, Taizhou City, Sanmen Country, Xiaoyuxi Village, 29. VII. 2010, light trap, X. Lin. 8 males, Zhejiang Province, Taizhou City, Linhai District, Sanjiang Wetland, 15. VIII. 2012, sweep net, X. Qi.

Diagnostic characters. The adult male can be distinguished from other members in the subgenus by the following combination of characters: superior volsella pediform, covered with microtrichia and with 20–25 setae on the distal margin; anal point without lateral projection; terminal scale of fore tibia rounded, without spur; legs with sub-apical rings.

Key characters of male imago. Total length 2.48–2.88, 2.70 mm; wing length 1.25–1.45, 1.35 mm. Femur brown with pale sub-apical rings. AR 0.65–0.88, 0.70; temporal setae 10–13, 12; clypeus with 22–26, 24 setae. R with 16–24, 20 setae; R1 with 10–14, 12; R4+5 with 15–24, 20 setae, squama with 5–8, 7 setae. Dorsocentrals 22–27, 25; acrostichals 13–17, 15; prealars 5–7, 6; scutellum with 16–23, 20 setae. Terminal scale of front tibia rounded, without spur; front leg ratio 1.70–1.85, 1.78.

Anal tergite bands developed, fused at base. Tergite IX with 7–12, 9 median setae. Laterosternite with 2–4, 3 setae. Anal point 55–75, 68 µm long, narrowed basally, expanded sub-apically, with a v-shaped furrow being short setae; without lateral projections. Superior volsella pediform, covered with microtrichia and with 20–25 setae on the distal margin. Inferior volsella 105–125, 118 µm long, with 28–35, 31 oral setae and 1 apical seta. Gonostylus narrow at base, rounded apically. HR 0.83–10.93, 0.88. HV 1.80–1.93, 1.87.

Distribution. It distributes in United Arab Emirates and Oriental China.

Remarks. The shape of the superior volsella of P. (T.) harteni is characteristic within the subgenus. The Chinese specimens generally agree with the original description by Andersen & Mendes (2010) except the wing length of Chinese specimens is lower (1.25–1.45 µm vs. 1.96–2.04 µm).