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

Family Corethrellidae has a worldwide distribution with most known extant species occurring in the Neotropics, many with only the adult stages described. Despite previous efforts, one remaining problem in the taxonomy of Corethrellidae is the challenge of delimiting species due to the current range of morphological characters included in descriptions to date. This paper discusses additional morphological evidence to distinguish species and their phylogenetic relationships. Together with fresh samples collected in Bahia, the only state in the Northeast Region with records of corethrellids, and slide-mounted specimens from other regions, five new species are described: Corethrella pindorama sp. nov., C. patasho sp. nov., C. fuscifimbria sp. nov. and C. unifasciata sp. nov. based on female adults; and C. bifida sp. nov. based on male and female adults, and larval and pupal exuviae. We also provide complementary descriptions comprising the novel characters for 33 previously described species, including the immature stages of nine. Fifteen species are newly recorded for Bahia and the Northeast Region, of which two are new records for Brazil. Additionally, we provide remarks about the biology of species, an updated list of species recorded in Brazil and an updated taxonomic key of New World species, modified from Borkent (2008).