Polypedilum

Saether, Ole A., Andersen, Trond, Pinho, Luiz C. & Mendes, Humberto F., 2010, The problems with Polypedilum Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae), with the description of Probolum subgen. n., Zootaxa 2497, pp. 1-36 : 13-14

Polypedilum subgenus Uresipedilum Oyewo et Saether

Polypedilum subgenus Uresipedilum Sasa et Okazawa, 1991: 54 , nomen nudum. Polypedilum subgenus Uresipedilum Sasa et Kikuchi, 1995: 119 , nomen nudum. Polypedilum subgenus Uresipedilum Oyewo et Saether, 1998: 317 .

Type species

Polypedilum (Uresipedilum) convictum (Walker) Chironomus convictus Walker, 1856: 161 .

Diagnostic characters. The male imagines of the subgenus are distinguished by having the basal portion of the superior volsella much longer than wide, with an apicomedian projection without setae arising from the inner margin of the base and directed medially and without prominent inner projection; wing membrane without markings or setae and fore tibial scale nearly always without spur.

Pupae of the subgenus lack dorsal setae on the anal lobe; have few branches in the thoracic horn; reduced cephalic tubercles and mostly single anal spur with few teeth, but often numerous fine lateral spinules. Conjunctive III/IV is often without spinules and pedes spurii A often absent. The anal lobe is nearly always without dorsal setae.

Larvae of the subgenus are distinguished by having the four median teeth set off from the rest of the mentum and in contact with the anteriorly produced median ends of the ventromental plates and with well developed to at least indicated posterior lobes on the ventromental plates. Antennal segment 3 is very slightly to more distinctly shorter than segment 4. The mentum has the first lateral teeth much or only slightly lower than median and/or second lateral teeth.

Remarks. The pupae of Uresipedilum are not distinguishable from those of Polypedilum s. str., Pentapedilum and Probolum.

Uresipedilum as previously defined is not monophyletic as it includes the new subgenus Probolum described below. If the association of the immatures described by Grodhaus and Rotramel (1980) with Polypedilum pedatum excelsius Townes is correct not all imagines of Uresipedilum may be separable from Probolum.