Cerodontha (Cerodontha) colombiensis Spencer

Cerodontha (Cerodontha) colombiensis Spencer

(Figs. 21–22)

Cerodontha (C.) colombiensis Spencer 1984: 11; Sanabria de Arévalo 1994: 73. Cerodonta dorsalis (Loew), of Becker (1920), in part.

MNHN specimens. Ecuador: Cuenca, Dr. G. Rivet 1905 (1 ♂); La Rinconada, alt. 3100 m, P. Rivet 1903 (1 ♂). Additional material examined. Argentina: Tierra del Fuego, 3 km E Ushuaia, marshy area nr river, 11– 14.ii.1992, S.A. Marshall, pan traps (1 ♂: LEM); Tucuman Ao. El Caleo, W. Alpachiris 1000 m 1.x.1968, L.E. Pena (1 ♀: CNC); Bolivia: Siberia, W. Comarapa. Coch. 18–19.ii.1976, 2500–2900 m, L.E. Pena (1 ♂; 1 ♀: CNC); Unduavi 3500–3600 m, La Paz. Yungas, 29.x.1968, L.E. Pena (1 ♀: CNC). Chile: Aysen, Puerto Cisnes, 72°40’W, 44° 45’S, 16–28.ii.1961, L.E. Pena (2 ♂; 2 ♀: CNC); Villarrica SW. Villarrica L. Cautin, 25–29.xi.1963, L.E. Pena (1 ♀: CNC). Ecuador: Azuay, 28 km S. Cuenca, 2500–2800 m, 15.iii.1965, L.E. Pena (2 ♂: CNC); Azuay, 10 km S. Cuenca, 13–14.iii.1965, 2200 m, L.E. Pena (3 ♀: CNC); Azuay, Tarqui, 2800 m, 7–8.iii.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♀: CNC); Azuay, Tarqui, S. Isabel rd., 2200–2800 m, 10–13.iii.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC); Carchi, Cerro Pelado, 25.vi.1965, 3200 m, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC); Carchi, El Angel, 2700 m, 23–25.vi.1965, L.E. Pena (13 ♂; 7 ♀: CNC); Carchi, San Gabriel, 3000 m, 10.vi.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC); Carchi, San Isidro, 2500 m, 23.vi.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♀: CNC); Carchi, Troya, 2950m, 11–13.vi.1965, L.E. Pena (3 ♀: CNC); same except 2650 m, 10–12.vi.1965 (1 ♂; 1 ♀: CNC); Carchi, Tulcan, 2800 m, 27.vi.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♂; 1 ♀: CNC); Loja, S. of Loja, 2500 m, 26.iii.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC); Loja, Loja, 2500 m, 23–25.iii.1965, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC). Peru: Camacani, 3700 m, 22.xi.1955, L.E. Pena (1 ♂: CNC); same except 20.xi.1965 (1 ♂; 2 ♀: CNC); Cusco, 20–21.xi.1962, 3200 m, L.E. Pena (3 ♂: CNC); Puno, La Huerta, 3800 m, 24–28.xi.1955, L.E. Pena (1 ♂; 3 ♀: CNC).

Comments. This species was previously known only from Colombia (Spencer 1984; Sanabria de Arévalo 1994: Martinez and Etienne 2002). In addition to the new Ecuadorian records, other specimens were examined from various localities in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru (see above). These new records, almost all of which were collected between 2200 m and 3800 m elevation, agree with Spencer’s (1984) hypothesis that the species may be restricted to higher elevations. The species differs from C. dorsalis by the presence of 2 rows of acrostichal setulae, 2 notopleural setae and usually larger size (wing length usually over 2.7 mm in males, compared to less than 2.4 mm in male C. dorsalis). The aedeagus in lateral view illustrated by Sanabria de Arévalo (1994) lacks the membranous structure normally present in this species, as do the two specimens examined from Cusco, Peru; this structure normally projects ventrally near the end of the distal tubules (Fig. 21).