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PSYCHE

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Bertram I. Gerry.
A New Species of Chironomus from Jamaica (Chironomidæ).
Psyche 39:69-71, 1932.

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19321 A New Species of Chironomus from Jamaica 69, A NEW SPECIES OF CHIRONOMUS FROM JAMAICA (CHIRONOMIDB)
Department of Agriculture, Boston, Mass. While examining some chironomid material, collected in Jamaica by W. S. Brooks and donated to the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, my attention was drawn to several specimens which appeared to be rep- resentatives of Chironomus varipennis Coquillett, with a somewhat modified wing spotting.
Since the original description of C. varipennis is rather meager, and neither the male genitalia figured nor the ratio between fore tibia and fore metatarsus mentioned; one must rely, almost entirely, upon the wing characters in identifying this species. I
Malloch (1915) attempted to add to the original descrip- tion but since the specimens in his possession, apparently, were badly mutilated, he succeeded in contributing but a single salient fact, namely, that the fore tarsi were much elongated-the basal segment being twice as long as the fore tibia.
Fortunately, I succeeded in finding in the Harvard col- lection additional material (collected by Professor Nathan Banks at Falls Church, Virginia), which coincided with the original description of C. varipennis from the stand- point of wing venation, and with Malloch's statement that, in this species, the fore metatarsus-is twice as long as the fore tibia.
This, I believe, definitely establishes C. varipennis which I have redescribed in this paper. The material from Ja- maica, which differs from C. varipennis in respect to body and leg markings ; wing spotting, ratio between fore tibia and fore metatarsus, and structural characters of the male genitalia, I hereby submit as a new species. Pzirfif 39:6SI-71 ( 1932). hup Iftwche rnlclub org091394W html



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Psyche
[ September
Chironomus varipennis Coquillett
Male.-Dark brown. Head brown ; antennae yellow, plumes concolorous, scape dark brown ; palpi yellowish. Thorax brown, mesonotum and pleurae with uneven silvery pruinescence ; scutellum brown ; postnotum brown with two lateral pruinescent spots ; halters yellowish white. Abdo- men fuscous, the posterior margin of segments narrowly pruinescent; sixth, seventh and eighth blackened dorsally. Legs brown with whitish tarsi; fore femora brown with wide central yellow bands; fore tibiae brown with distinct pre-apical yellow rings; fore metatarsi whitish, apices nar- rowly brown, more than twice as long as fore tibiae (34-15). Mid and hind legs clothed with long yellow hairs; femora yellow, bases brown; tibiae yellow with narrowly brown apices ; tarsi yellowish white, all segments narrowly brown at apices. Wings whitish, with eleven pale blackish spots, iridescent in reflected light and located as follows : three in a row behind the cubitus, one before middle and another in middle of apical margin of (Cui), one in base of cell (R4+5), another in cell below it, a third midway between the latter and base of this cell, one in middle and another at apex of cell (R4+5) ,, and a small spot at apex of cell (Mi). Hypopy- gium with side piece terminating in large blunt cylindrical appendage, not densely clothed with long hairs, the dorsal spine short and inconspicuous.
Female.-Similar to the male in coloration, but in some specimens the thorax may be almost black and the abdom- inal segments more extensively pruinescent. Length.-3 mm., coll. by Nathan Banks, Falls Church, Va. June. Ì
Chironomus pseudofasciata sp. nov.
Male.-Blackish brown, shining. Antennae dark brown ; plumes fuscous, scape blackish. Thorax dark brown, shoulders with silvery pruinescence ; a median silvery stripe extending half way from prescutum to scutellum ; on either side of mesonotum, a narrow silvery stripe extending from silvered shoulder to base of scutellum. The thoracic mark- ings obscure in some specimens. Halters yellowish white. Abdomen blackish ; segments with narrow silvery apical bands, widened medially to form V-shaped spots. Legs



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19321 A New Species of Chironomus from Jamaica 71 brown, banded with yellow; cox= blackish; femora brown with subapical yellow ring; tibiae predominately yellow, a narrow brown subbasal ring and a second narrow brown ring half way between mid-point and apex; tarsi brown with yellow bands, basal segment brown with wide central yellow band, remaining segments brown with yellow apical ring, these rings often extending beyond joint and involving base of following segment. Fore metatarsi, less than one and one-half times length of fore tibiae (18-14). Wings with nine black spots; the five large spots at middle form- ing two false fasciae, two of the remaining spots at apex (one on either side of media), the other two at base. Distal fascia, located half way between cross-vein and apex; con- sisting of large squarish spot below apical portion of vein (Cui), the second spot directly above in cell (R4+5), the fascia completed centrally by distal portion of large rectan- gular spot in cell (Mi). Proximal fascia, immediately be- yond cross-vein, consisting of squarish spot involving junc- tion of veins (Cui) and (Cus) and extending to posterior margin of wing, the second spot directly above in basal portion of cell completed centrally by proximal por- tion of large rectangular spot in cell (Mi). The basal spot in anal area usually circular, the other triangular in outline. Hypopygium with side piece terminating in sickle-shaped appendage, densely clothed with numerous long hairs. A long dorsal spine, ventrally curved.
Female.-Similar to the male in coloration. Length.-2.50 mm. to 4.00 mm.
Coll. by W. S. Brooks, Moneague, Jamaica. February.
Faded specimens may sometimes resemble C. varipennis but the two species are easily separated on the basis of structural characters found in the male gentalia. Coquillett, D. W.
(1902) Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol, 25, p. 94. Malloch, J. R. (1915)
Bull. 111. Sta. Lab. of Nat. Hist., vol. X, art. VI, p. 427.




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