Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) wittei (Freeman)

Oyewo, Emmanuel Adeoye & Saether, Ole A., 2008, Revision of Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) Kieffer and Ainuyusurika Sasa et Shirasaki (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 1953, pp. 1-145 : 129-133

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) wittei (Freeman)

( Figs 44–45)

Pentapedilum wittei Freeman, 1955a: 30 ; Freeman and Cranston (1980: 195).

Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) wittei Freeman, 1958: 301 .

Material examined. BURKINA FASO: Cercle de Tougan, White Volta , 2 male paratypes, 15.xi.1954, J. Hamon ( BMNH; ZSM No. 14) . SOUTH AFRICA: Natal National Park , 1 female, iii.1932, J. Ogilvie ( BMNH) . EGYPT: Sohag, El-Shewash , 6 males, 10.ix.1992, light trap, M. Fat’hi Ghonaim ( ZMB) . KENYA: Baringo District, Lake Baringo, 2 males, 24.i.1978, J. Reichholf ( ZSM Nos. 12, 13) . GREECE: Crete, Filipi , 4 males, 26.ix.1972, 24.i.1978, H. Malicky ( ZSM Nos. 1, 2-3, 8, 10) .

Diagnostic characters. Among species with strongly haired wing membrane, uniformly colored abdomen, no spur on foretibial scale, and base of superior volsella without microtrichia, the species can be distinguished by having the projection of the superior volsella almost straight with a basally placed lateral setae, abdominal tergites brown with narrow darker posterior bands, AR 1.8–2.0, and squama with 7-11 setae. The species is similar to P. (Pe.) nodosum which, however, lacks the dark posterior bands on the abdominal tergites, has an AR of 0.5–0.9, and squama with only 2–3 setae. The characteristic postgenital plate of the female is triangular, very steep sided to a nearly pointed apex.

Male (n = 12–14, unless otherwise stated)

Total length 2.64–2.95, 2.86 (6) mm. Wing length 1.43–1.79, 1.58 mm. Total length / wing length 1.81– 1.96, 1.87 (6). Wing length / length of profemur 2.01–2.19, 2.16 (11). Thorax pale brown to brown; abdominal segments brown with narrow dark bands at apices (Fig. 55F); femur, tibia and tarsi pale brown to brown.

Head ( Fig. 44A). AR 1.91–2.23, 2.04 (8). Ultimate flagellomere 590–758, 668 µm long. Temporal setae 7–15 including 3–6, 4 inner verticals; 3–6, 4 outer verticals; and 1–3, 2 postorbitals. Clypeus with 12–21, 17 setae. Tentorium 100–140, 125 (11) µm long; 2–10, 6 (9) µm wide at posterior tentorial pit. Stipes 88–152, 126 (11) µm long. Palpomere lengths (in µm): 26–38, 31; 29–52, 39; 115–152, 134; 102–145, 120 (11); 198– 219, 211 (7). Fifth palpomere / third palpomere 1.41–1.71, 1.52 (7). Third palpomere with 2–3 sensilla clavata.

Thorax ( Fig. 44B). Acrostichals 10–17, 13 (8); dorsocentrals 18–29, 22 (8); prealars 5–6, 6 (7). Scutellum with 9–13, 11 (8) setae.

Wing. Anal lobe well developed. VR 1.11–1.20, 1.15. Brachiolum with 2–3, 2 setae; R with 29–41, 35; R 1 with 18–42, 33; R 4+5 with 45–92, 65; Sc with 9–30, 18; RM with 0–1, M with 3–14, 9; M 1+2 with 33–67, 51; M 3+4 with 19–56, 37; Cu with 14–34, 26; Cu 1 with 11–22, 17; PCu with 17–55, 40; and An with 8–40, 30 setae. Cells r 4+5, and m 1+2 each with more than 100 macrotrichia, m 3+4, with about 45 to more than 100, cell m basal of RM with about 9–30, 18; an plus cu with about 55 to more than 100 macrotrichia. Squama with 7–11, 9 setae.

Legs. Scale on foretibia ( Fig. 44C) 21–45, 29 (11) µm long; nearly rounded, without apical spur. Spurs on midtibia 36–52, 46 µm long; on hind tibia 43–69, 56 µm long. Comb on midtibia ( Fig. 44D) 10–21, 17 µm long; combs on hind tibia ( Fig. 44E)19–26, 23 µm and 12–24, 18 µm long. Width at apex of foretibia 26–45, 41 (11) µm; of midtibia 44–50, 45 µm; of hind tibia 48–55, 51 µm. Length and proportions of legs as in Table 57.

Hypopygium ( Fig. 44G). Tergite IX with 10–16, 13 (9) median setae; laterosternite IX with 2 setae. Anal point 48–69, 56 µm long, 6–12, 9 µm wide at base, gradually tapering to nearly parallel-sided towards 2–5, 4 µm wide apex. Transverse sternapodeme 21–81, 41 µm long; phallapodeme 26–107, 77 µm long. Gonocoxite 140–169, 158 µm long. Superior volsella ( Figs 45A–C) 60–83, 76 µm long, with 2–3 inner basal setae and 1 seta on or just before projection; microtrichia absent. Inferior volsella ( Fig. 44I) 100–131, 111 µm long; nearly parallel-sided, with prominent apical seta. Gonostylus 142–174, 158 µm long. HR 0.91–1.12, 1.00; HV 1.69– 2.01, 1.84 (6).

Female (n = 1)

Total length 2.58 mm. Wing length 2.24 mm. Wing length / length of profemur 2.61. Ground color pale brown; thorax brown at postnotum, antepronotum, preepisternum and scutum; abdominal segments brown without dark bands; femur, tibia and tarsi brown.

Head. Antennae lost. Temporal setae 13 including 5 inner verticals, 5 outer verticals, and 3 postorbitals. Clypeus with 30 setae. Tentorium 167 µm long, 8–10 µm wide at sieve pore, 7 µm wide at posterior tentorial pit. Stipes179 µm long. Palpomere lengths (in µm): 26, 50, 164, fourth and fifth palpomere lacking.

Thorax. Acrostichals 15, dorsocentrals 28, prealars 6. Scutellum with 12 setae.

Wing. Anal lobe well developed. VR 1.20. Brachiolum with 1 seta, R with 55, R 1 with 53, R 4+5 with 91, Sc with 28, RM with 4, M with 9, M 1+2 with 81, M 3+4 with 57, Cu with 6, Cu 1 with 25, PCu with 58 and An with 49 setae. Cell m basal of RM with 32, all other cells each with more than 100 macrotrichia. Squama with 10 setae.

Legs. Scale on foretibia 38 µm long. Spurs on midtibia 68 µm long; on hind tibia 71 µm long. Comb on midtibia 30 µm long; combs on hind tibia 31 µm and 24 µm long. Width at apex of foretibia 60 µm; of midtibia 64 µm; of hind tibia 69 µm. Length and proportions of legs as in Table 58.

Genitalia ( Fig. 45D). Gonocoxite IX with 4 setae; tergite IX with 45 setae; segment X with 8 setae. Cercus 112 µm long, 2 µm wide at apex with 1 apical seta. Seminal capsule almost ovoid, 69 µm long, 49 µm wide; neck sclerotized, 10 µm long. Notum 186 µm long. Dorsomesal lobe ( Fig. 45F) 104 µm long, 50 µm wide; ventrolateral lobe ( Fig. 45E) with slightly curved brush; apodeme lobe ( Fig. 45G) nearly L-shaped. Postgenital plate a steeply tapering triangle.

Remarks. The two examined specimens from Burkina Faso (paratypes) have less than 60 macrotrichia in wing cell m 3+4 and an plus cu.

Distribution. Known from Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan, Egypt, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Greece (Crete).