Skusella Freeman, 1961

Cranston, Peter S. & Tang, Hongqu, 2018, Skusella Freeman (Diptera: Chironomidae): new species, immature stages from Africa, Asia and Australia, and expanded distributions, Zootaxa 4450 (1), pp. 41-65 : 43

Skusella Freeman

( Figs 1–8 )

Skusella Freeman, 1961: 718 .

Skusella Freeman ; Cranston (1996): L, P; Cranston (2004): L; Harrison (2002): M, F.

Type species: Chironomus subvittatus Skuse, 1889: 246 , by original designation.

Other included species: Skusella pallidipes ( Kieffer, 1921) , Africa; Skusella freemani Harrison, 2002 , Africa; Skusella silingae Tang sp. n., Asia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adult Skusella. A, Wing, male S. subvittata; B, Wing, female S. pallidipes (from Freeman 1958); C, Lateral thorax S. subvittata; D, Fore tibial apex; E, Hind tibial combs and spurs S. subvittata; F. Hypopygium S. subvittata (schematic, L side of figure dorsal view, R side ventral/internal); G. Hypopygium (L side dorsal) S. pallidipes; H–I Superior volsella: H, S. subvittata; I, S. pallidipes; J, Median volsella S. pallidipes.

FIGURE 2. Male Skusella, hypopygia. A–C S. freemani: A. (L side dorsal, R side schematic, ventral/internal); B, Superior volsella; C, Median volsella; D–F S. silingae sp. n.: D, Hypopygium (schematic, L side dorsal, R side ventral/internal); E, Superior volsella; F, Median volsella.

FIGURE 3. Female Skusella, genitalia. A–C, S. subvittata (reared, Wildman R.): A, Ventral (R side of body only); B, detail including apodemes and gonapophysis VIII lobes; C, detail of labia, vagina and opening of spermathecal ducts. D–E Seminal capsule and spermathecal duct: D, S. pallidipes; E, S. freemani.

FIGURE 4. Skusella pupae. A, Cephalic area in S. sp. ‘Limuling’; B, Lateral thorax, S. sp. ‘Limuling’; C, Base of thoracic horn, S. subvittata; D, Prealar tubercle, S. subvittata; E, Sternite I, S. sp. ‘Sanyatang’; F, Part of tergite IV, S. sp. ‘Jianfengling’; G, Segments II–IV with pedes spurii B and pleural fringe, S. subvittata; H–J Segment VIII posterolateral ‘combs’, H, S. subvittata; I, S. pallidipes, J, S. sp. ‘Jianfengling’.

FIGURE 5. Skusella pupae, abdomen (dorsal). A, S. subvittata; B, presumptive S. pallidipes; C, S. freemani.

FIGURE 6. Skusella pupae, abdomen (dorsal). A, S. silingae sp. n.; B, S. sp. ‘Limuling’; C, S. sp. ‘Sanyatang’.

FIGURE 7. Skusella larvae. A, Head, frontoclypeus and parts farther anterior (dorsal); B–C, Antenna; D, Central labroepipharyngeal region (frontal); E, Premandible; F. Mandible; G–H, Mentum. A, B, D–G, S. subvittata; C, H, S. sp. ‘Opi’.

FIGURE 8. Skusella subvittata immature stages. A–B, Pupa: A, Segments VIII–IX; B, Segment VIII posterolateral 'comb'. C– F, Larva: C, Premandible, mandible, mentum and ventromental plates; D, Antenna; E, Mandible and part of mentum; F. Pecten epipharyngis and premandible.