Culicoides immaculatus Lee & Reye

Bel Li, G. A., Dyce, A. L., Gopurenko, D. & Mitchell, A., 2013, Revision of the Immaculatus Group of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Australasian Region with description of two new species, Zootaxa 3680 (1), pp. 15-37 : 24-25

Culicoides immaculatus Lee & Reye

Culicoides immaculatus Lee & Reye 1953:375 ( Figs 2, 6 , 11, 12, 18 , 23, 24 , 30, 32, 37 , 43, 44, 45 , 52 ). Culicoides immaculatus, Tokunaga 1959:206 (misidentified).

Culicoides immaculatus, Dyce et al. 2007:43 (female wing illustrated).

Type material examined. AUSTRALIA. Queensland: Holotype, Yam Is., in well, biting, 22.Aug.1949, I.M. Mackerras (female, ANIC).

Non-type material examined. AUSTRALIA. Northern Territory: Gove, Feb.1970, M. Debenham & M, Hicks (3 Ƥ ANIC); Gove, Feb.1970, biting, M. Debenham & M. Hicks (5 Ƥ, ANIC); Horn Islet, 25.Feb.1968, 1830-0630, Lt. Tp. Hg. E end Pandanus beach, E.J. Reye (2 Ƥ, ANIC); Ski Beach via Nhulunbuy, 12°3.1'S 136°42.2'E, 8.Mar.2002, Lt.Tp., J. Starr (2 Ƥ, 3 3, NTQIC); Cape Arnhem, 136º58.5'E 12º23'S, 13–14.Mar.2002, L.T., Dhimurru (3, NTQIC); Fanny Bay, Darwin, 12.Aug.1969, Light Trap, W. Painter (3, ANIC); Barra Base, Bathurst Is, 19.Apr.1991, Lt. Tp., I. Hazelgrove (2 3, ANIC); Caiman Creek, 11°16'S, 132°14'E, 21.Jun.2004, G. Bellis(4 Ƥ, NTQIC); Waminari Bay, 11°46'S, 133°25'E, 5.Oct.2009, G. Bellis (3, 4 Ƥ, NTQIC); Tree Point, 12°18'S, 131°01'E, 9.Oct.2006, G. Bellis (2 Ƥ, NTQIC); Hudson Creek, 12°26'S, 130°55'E, 27.Nov.2009, L. Melville (Ƥ, NTQIC). WA: Broome, 17°57'S, 122°14'E, 14.Jan.2010, L. Halling (3, 2 Ƥ, NTQIC). Q ld: Pt Douglas, Boat Shed, 4/ 5.Nov.1976, L.T., H.A. Standfast (Ƥ, ANIC); Russell Island, 6.Mar.1964, to cow, J.A. Stewart, (3, ANIC); Nagi Island, Torres Strait, 10°15'S, 142°29'E, 6.Mar.2008, A.Postle (4 Ƥ, NTQIC); Mt. Adolphus Island, Torres Strait, 10°38'S, 142°39'E, 17.Oct.2008, A.Postle (Ƥ, NTQIC); Yam Island, Torres Strait, 09°54'S, 142°46'E, 21 Sep 2008, N. David (2 Ƥ, NTQIC)

Diagnosis. Eyes bare, tibial comb with four spines and 4th tarsal segment cylindrical in both sexes. Female antenna with SCo distribution 1–8, one pair of STl and STc on each of 2–8, six to nine SCh on 2–8 and 13, fewer on remainder. Male antennae with plume of SCh on 1–10, apicolateral processes on ninth tergite shorter than wide or absent, ventral membrane of ninth sternite densely spiculate.

Description. Adults with eyes bare, 3rd palpal segment ( Fig 11 ) expanding apically then abruptly narrowed beyond a rounded, shallow, sensory pit with several protruding capitate sensilla. Legs ( Fig 24 ) with hind tibial comb ( Fig 23 ) bearing 4 spines, first or first and second longest. Fourth tarsal segment of all legs cylindrical. Haltere pale. Female with eyes separated by a distance up to 1 facet ( Fig 2 ). Male antenna ( Fig 37 ) with plume of more than 10 SCh on flagellomeres 2–10. Hypopygium ( Fig 43 ) with very short apicolateral processes (often absent), no more than half as long as broad at base, each with a terminal seta; caudal margin shallowly cleft medially. Ninth sternite with moderately broad, deep caudomedial excavation, ventral membrane densely spiculate. Gonocoxite with dorsal root broadening to truncate apex. Aedeagus ( Fig 45 ) with moderately low basal arch (1/2 to 1/3 of total length), basal arms relatively stout, well sclerotised, joined by broadly rounded ventral arch; distal process as long as basal arms, parallel sided with bifid tip and with spiculate excavation medially, sclerotised lateral arms of distal process joined by a hyaline plate which extends to about half length of process.

Distribution. Australia: Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia ( Fig 52 ).

Biology. Debenham (1979) summarised the known biology of this species. Distributional data suggests breeding sites in intertidal foreshores or mangrove forest although Reye (1992) suggested rocky foreshores were utilised. The effective flight range of adult females is about 400m from the breeding site and their activity is mainly crepuscular although daytime biting has been recorded ( Reye 1992). Humans are readily attacked although the primary host is not known ( Reye 1992).

Remarks. Male and female specimens of this species can be distinguished from C. agas and C. collessi by the lack of interfacetal hairs on the eye. Male C. immaculatus can be distinguished from other species of the Immaculatus Group by the reduced or absent apicolateral processes of the ninth tergite. Differences between this species and C. shivasi are outlined in the remarks under C. shivasi .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Eye separation and wing of female Culicoides Immaculatus Group species. 1, 5. C. agas Wirth & Hubert. 2, 6. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye. 3, 7. C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n. 4, 8. C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n.

FIGURES 9 – 20. Female Culicoides Immaculatus Group species. 9, 10, 17. C. agas Wirth & Hubert, mandibular teeth, palp and spermathecae. 11, 12, 18. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye, palp, mandibular teeth and spermathecae. 13, 14, 19. C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., mandibular teeth, palp and spermathecae. 15, 16, 20. C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., palp, mandibular teeth and spermathecae

FIGURES 21 – 28. Female Culicoides Immaculatus Group species. 21, 22. C. agas Wirth & Hubert, legs and tibial comb. 23, 24. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye, tibial comb and legs. 25, 26. C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., legs and tibial comb. 27, 28. C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., legs and tibial comb.

FIGURES 29 – 39. Antennae of Culicoides Immaculatus Group species. 29, 31, 35, 36. C. agas Wirth & Hubert, female flagellomere 4 and antenna and male flagellomere 4 and antenna. 30, 32, 37. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye, female flagellomere 4 and antenna and male antenna .. 33, 38. C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., female and male antenna 34, 39. C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., female and male antenna.

FIGURES 40 – 51. Male Culicoides Immaculatus Group species. 40 – 42. C. agas Wirth & Hubert, hypopygium, parameres and aedeagus. 43 – 45. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye, hypopygium, parameres and aedeagus. 46 – 48. C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., hypopygium, parameres and aedeagus. 49 – 51. C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n., hypopygium, parameres and aedeagus.

FIGURES 52 – 53. Distribution of Culicoides Immaculatus Group species based on published records (Lee & Reye 1953; Wirth & Hubert 1989, Dyce 1996) and specimens represented in ANIC and BPBM. 52. C. immaculatus Lee & Reye and C. collessi Bellis & Dyce sp. n. 53. C. agas Wirth & Hubert and C. shivasi Bellis & Dyce sp. n.