New placement for Spaniotoma (Eukiefferiella) claviculata Edwards, 1931 (Diptera: Chironomidae

Abstract

In a recent examination of Edwards? Patagonian chironomid types in the Natural History Museum (London, UK) (NHM) we found the species Spaniotoma (Eukiefferiella) claviculata Edwards, 1931, previously considered by Spies & Reiss (1996) as an unplaced valid species, as belonging to the genus Parakiefferiella Thienemann. This species fits all characters in the generic diagosis of Cranston et al. (1989) by the possession of bare eyes, wings and squama; extended costa; acrostichals absent but with median tuft of microtrichia on scutum; hypopygium with anal point short, broadly based and subtriangular with few basal setae, virga well developed and inferior volsella subrectangular. Recently Wiedenbrug & Andersen (2002) described Parakiefferiella lagorum as a new Orthocladiinae species of the genus Parakiefferiella from South America. Having analyzed the descriptions and drawings of all the species described by Wiedenbrug & Andersen (2002) we came to the conclusion that the species P. lagorum is identical to Spaniotoma (Eukiefferiella) claviculata. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to establish the new combination Parakiefferiella claviculata (Edwards) and P. lagorum as a junior synonym.