Corethrella (Corethrella) aurita Borkent 2008
Creators: name: Amaral, André P.
name: Mariano, Rodolfo
name: Pinho, Luiz Carlos
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Corethrellidae
Corethrella
Corethrella aurita

description: Corethrella (Corethrella) aurita Borkent, 2008
Fig. 28; Appendix 1
Material examined
BRAZIL – Bahia State • 2 ♀♀, adults; Rio de Contas, RPPN Volta do Rio, stream; 13°32ʹ07ʺ S, 41°54ʹ44ʺ W; 1318 m a.s.l.; 1 Dec. 2019; A.P. Amaral leg.; frog-call trap (Boana faber); CE-MHS • 2 ♀♀, adults; Rio de Contas, Parque Natural Serra das Almas, “ brejo do junco ” [reed marsh]; 13°32ʹ19ʺ S, 41°52ʹ36ʺ W; 1202 m a.s.l.; 2 Dec. 2019; A.P. Amaral leg.; frog-call trap (chorus); CE-MHS • 1 ♀, adult; same collection data as for preceding, except 3 Dec. 2019; CE-MHS.
Description
Female adult (n = 5)
HEAD. Sensilla (Fig. 28A): Ocular row with 2 thick offset setae at ventral part, 1 more dorsal, and 16–18 setae extending to mid-posterior portion of head. Subocular row not well-defined anteriorly, with 3 setae shortly extending posteriorly; interocular space and vertex with multiple slender setae. Postgenal row with 9 intermediate and 7 slender setae, located at mid-posterior portion. With 2 thick ventromedial setae.
THORAX. Sensilla (Fig. 28B): Antepronotum with 3–6 slender anterodorsal setae; 3–4 thick and 4–9 slender setae along ventrolateral margin. Postpronotum with 2 thick dorsal setae and 3–5 slender posterior ones. Scutum, prescutal area with 3 thick setae near prescutal suture, 5–9 dorsal slender setae, reaching dorsocentral row; group of 8–12 intermediate and 6–15 slender setae more anteriorly, merging with anterior portion of dorsocentral row. Antealar area with 4–6 thick/intermediate setae vertically aligned on anterior portion; 6–9 thick and 12–15 slender setae ventrally located; 16–30 slender setae more dorsally, reaching dorsocentral row. Supraalar area with 4–5 thick setae surrounded by 12–20 slender setae. Dorsocentral row, posterior part with cluster of 4–5 thick setae; 19–24 thick/intermediate and 41–55 slender setae filling row. Scutellum with 11–12 thick setae. Posterior anepisternum bare. Anepimeron with 15–20 slender setae.
WING. R 3 /R 1: 0.49 (0.47–0.53); R 2+3 /R 2: 0.71 (0.62–0.76).
LEGS. Empodium (Fig. 28C) of intermediate length and thickness, with 6 branches. Ta1/Ta2: 2.63 (2.59– 2.72); Ta3/Ta4: 1.05 (1.00–1.09).
Distribution and biology
This is the first record of Corethrella aurita in Brazil. Specimens were collected with frog-call pan traps in Rio de Contas, Bahia, playing the calls of Boana faber, Physalaemus cuvieri and P. nanus near a large marsh area and a small stream. The sampled areas are part of the Espinhaço mountain range, in xeric shrubland (caatinga biome). Altitudes range from 1202 to 1318 m a.s.l.
This species was previously known only from the type locality in Panama, at an altitude of 27 m a.s.l. (Borkent 2008).
Remarks
Even though the specimens closely match the species description (Borkent 2008: 122), the extension of its distribution and altitudinal range is remarkable, as Corethrella aurita was previously known only from Panama at an altitude of 27 m a.s.l.
In fresh specimens a darkly pigmented heart-shaped spot on the posterior portion of the scutum was observed, and it is not known whether that pattern is present on the type specimens. The description mentions a patterned scutum, which might be the case.
description: Published as part of Amaral, André P., Mariano, Rodolfo & Pinho, Luiz Carlos, 2023, Description of five new species of frog-biting midges (Diptera, Corethrellidae) from Brazil and examination of new morphological characters with utility for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, pp. 1-120 in European Journal of Taxonomy 874 (1) on pages 59-61, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.874.2135, http://zenodo.org/record/8037742