Parapsectra styriaca Reiss 1969
Creators: name: Giłka, Wojciech
name: Jażdżewska, Natalia
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Chironomidae
Parapsectra
Parapsectra styriaca

description: Parapsectra styriaca (Reiss, 1969)
(Figures 5, 22–24, 39)
Material examined. POLAND. Borzestowska Huta near Chmielno, 30 July 2001, sweep net, 2 males, PD. Czarna Tama at Lake Spierewnik near Tuchola, sweep net, at helocrene, 28 April 2009, 3 males, 21 July 2009, 5 males, WG. Czysta Woda near StęŻyca, 7 June 1997, sweep net, at helocrene, 1 male, WG. Chmielonko at Lake Raduñskie Dolne, sweep net, at limnocrene, 12 May 2001, 1 male, 30 July 2001, 4 males, 12 May 2002, 1 male, PD; 1–3 May 2009, 16 males, NJ; 10 August 2009, 1 male, 29 August 2009, 2 males, WG. Słupie on River Czarna Hañcza, 24 May 2006, sweep net, at peat bog, 1 male, PD. NORWAY. Kvitblik near Fauske, 7 July 2006, sweep net, at peat pool, 1 male, WG. UKRAINE. Crimea, Koreiz (Yalta distr.), 6 May 2005, sweep net, at piedmont lake, 17 males, DG.
Diagnostic description. Adult male (measurements in Table 5 and 8).
Colouration. Antennal pedicel, scutal stripes, postnotum and sternum brown to fuscous; antennal flagellum and legs olive-brown; head capsule, scutellum, haltere, ground colour of thorax and abdomen green to olive-green; wing with greenish undertone, with C, M, radial veins and Cu darker. Head. Antenna with 13 well separated flagellomeres. Frontal tubercles relatively long, but often reduced or absent. Third palpomere longer than fourth. Wing. Sc, M, R2+3, short proximal section of M1+2 and 1/4 proximal part of Cu bare, remaining veins with macrotrichia. FCu distinctly distal of RM. RM moderately long. Membrane below An with numerous macrotrichia. Anal lobe of wing strongly reduced (Fig. 5). Legs. Spur of fore tibia straight, 8– 12 μm long. Combs of mid and hind tibiae usually slightly separated, if widely separated - number of teeth reduced; each tibia with 20–28 teeth 12–15 μm long (mid leg) and 25–40 teeth 12–18 μm long (hind leg); combs occasionally bearing single, somewhat longer spur-like teeth. For length of leg segments see Table 5 and Reiss (1969a; presumably mean values given).
Hypopygium. Gonostylus stout, parallel-sided or slightly broadened in half length, tapering to transversely cut apex. Anal tergite with long, separated bands of V-type; lateral teeth present; anal point stout, broad at base, with transversely cut or slightly concave apex, bearing long and wide crests; entire area surrounding base of anal point covered with microtrichia (Fig. 22). Superior volsella variable in shape, sinuous, with anteromedian margin convex, gradually tapering to pointed apex; digitus absent; Micropsectra - seta placed on prominent tubercle (Figs 22, 23). Median volsella with relatively long stem, bearing c. 10 sparse but large spoon-shaped lamellae placed apically (Fig. 24). Inferior volsella long, reaching gonostylus at half length, L-shaped, strongly curved and directed medially, apically rounded (Figs 22, 39). Pupa: Reiss (1982), Langton (1991); adult female and larva: unknown.
Discussion. Identification of both the pupa and the adult male of Parapsectra styriaca poses no problem (Reiss 1969a, Langton 1991). However, the generic position of the species raises some doubts as a consequence of which, the adult male was originally included in the Micropsectra attenuata group and only after finding of the pupa - transferred to Parapsectra (Reiss 1982). The presence of lateral teeth on the anal tergite, the absence of the digitus, the sinuous superior volsella, the relatively long stem of the median volsella, and the elongation and strong curvature as well as medial direction of the inferior volsella are all characters typical of the Micropsectra attenuata group. In addition, the adult male differs from other Parapsectra in having the cubital fork well distal of RM (Fig. 5).
P. styriaca was observed at springs, peat pools and a small piedmont lake. At several, regularly visited sites in Poland, the adult males were collected between late April and late August, and presumably represented at least two generations.
description: Published as part of Giłka, Wojciech & Jażdżewska, Natalia, 2010, A systematic review of the genus Parapsectra Reiss (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanytarsini) with description of a new species from Poland, pp. 1-21 in Zootaxa 2350 on pages 12-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193438