Simulium (Nevermannia) aureohirtum Brunetti 1911

6. Simulium (Nevermannia) aureohirtum Brunetti, 1911

Simulium aureohirtum Brunetti, 1911: 283–288 (male).

Simulium (Nevermannia) aureohirtum; Ogata, 1956: 61–62; Ogata, 1966: 129;

Crosskey, 1987: 459; Takaoka & Roberts, 1988: 194–195; Takaoka, 2003: 37–45 (female, male, pupa and larva).

Simulium (Eusimulium) aureohirtum: Puri, 1933:1–7; Takaoka, 1979: 382–384 (female, male, pupa and larva).

Specimens examined. One male (reared from a pupa and preserved with its associated pupal exuviae and cocoon in a vial with 80% ethanol), 13 pupae and 10 mature larvae (all preserved in vials with 80% ethanol), collected from the same irrigation channel as noted under S. (S.) taythienense sp. nov.

Distribution. India, Bhutan, China, Thailand, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam (new record).

Remarks. This species belongs to the Simulium ruficorne species-group, and is characterized by the unique female and male genitalia, pupal gill with six filaments and larval head capsule with bold head spots. This is the only autogenous species in the Oriental Region, of which the female can develop the first batch of eggs without blood-meals (Takaoka & Noda 1979). The pupae and larvae of this species appear to be highly adapted to relatively high water temperatures, slow flow and even somewhat muddy or contaminated waters, where most other simuliid species cannot survive (Takaoka 2003). These capabilities, together with other factors, may explain why this species is widely distributed in the Oriental Region and extends into the Palearctic and Australasian Region.