Polypedilum (Asheum) beckae ( Sublette, 1964 )

Pinho, Luiz Carlos & Silva, Fabio Laurindo Da, 2020, Description of two new species of Polypedilum (Asheum) and immature stages of Polypedilum (A.) curticaudatum (Diptera: Chironomidae), Zootaxa 4759 (2), pp. 179-190 : 188

Polypedilum (Asheum) beckae ( Sublette, 1964)

( Figure 3 )

Material analyzed. Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, N18°29’41.5’’ W69°56’59.6’’, 14.vii.2015, FL Silva, ( MZSP) .

Diagnostic characters. Polypedilum (Asheum) beckae can be separated from other Polypedilum species by combination of: Adult male: tergite VII not strongly tapered anteriorly, balloon shaped gonocoxite, short gonostylus and boot shaped superior volsella. Pupa: Pedes spuri A and B absent, large dark spines on conjunctive IV/ V and L setae on abdominal segment IV strongly narrowed basally. Larva: Teeth of mentum of even height, very broad ventromental plates, strongly curved lateroposteriorly (identical to P. curticaudatum ).

Distribution. The species is recorded from southeastern USA—North and South Carolina ( Epler, 2001), Georgia, Alabama ( Hudson et al., 1990), Florida ( Jacobsen, 2008) and Louisiana ( Sublette, 1964). It is now first recorded from Dominican Republic ( Fig. 5 ). As larvae, P. (A.) beckae and P. (A.) curticaudatum are identical, Brazilian larval records of P. (A.) beckae (e.g. Roque et al, 2004, Silva & Farrell, 2017) should be regarded as doubtful.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Polypedilum (Asheum) curticaudatum Rempel, adult male (A–H) and Polypedilum (Asheum) beckae (Sublette, 1964), adult male (I–K). A, tergite IX and dorsal aspect of left gonocoxite and gonostylus. B, hypopygium with tergite IX removed, left dorsal aspect, right ventral aspect. C–H. Variation of superior volsella in P. curticaudatum [C and D, both from same specimen, Corumbá population; E, Fazzari population; F, Joaçaba population; G, Andaraí population; H, modified from Rempel (1939)]. I–K. Variation of superior volsella in P. beckae [I, modified from Cranston et al. (1989); J, Santo Domingo population; K, modified from Sublette (1964)]

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Polypedilum (Asheum) in neotropical region.