Ceratoculicoides sp.

Fasbender, Andrew, 2023, Revision of the New World Ceratoculicoides Wirth & Ratanaworabhan (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae, Ceratopogonini), European Journal of Taxonomy 875, pp. 159-202 : 180-181

Ceratoculicoides sp. M1

Figs 5a , 10a–c

Diagnosis

Male

It can be separated from congeners by the following combination of characters: femora and tibiae brown; wing length 1.2 mm; apices of parameres acute, tapering distally; aedeagus lateral margins straight, apical and posterolateral points adjacent, 1–2 accessory spines between apical point and posterolateral point of aedeagus, posterolateral point subtriangular, apex directed anteriorly ( Fig. 10c ).

Female

Unknown.

Material examined

USA • 1 ♂; California, San Bernardino Co., Death Valley National Park, Saratoga Springs ; 19 Mar. 1955; McDonald leg.; USNM .

Description (male)

MEASUREMENTS (n = 1). Head width unknown (head of specimen mounted in profile); flagellomeres 68, 31, 32, 30, 29, 27, 29, 25, 32, 44, 103, 73, 73; AR 0.72; FR unknown; wing length 1.26 mm; wing width 0.4 mm; costal ratio 0.54; GCR 1.65; GSR 0.92; aedeagus ratio 1.17.

THORAX. Dorsocentral punctations possibly absent, at most a few spots of thinned cuticle among dorsocentral setae. Legs with femora and tibiae brown.

GENITALIA ( Fig. 10a–c ). Distal portion of parameres tapering gradually to acute apex. Aedeagus lateral margins straight, becoming slightly divergent at apex; posterior margin a smooth concave arc, hyaline medial incision broad posteriorly, tapering anteriorly; base of posterolateral point directed laterally, apex rounded, directed anterolaterally; apical point subacute, directed posterolaterally, adjacent to posterolateral point, with 1–2 accessory spines between apical and posterolateral points, similar in size and shape to apical point.

Distribution

California ( USA) ( Fig. 13 ).

Remarks

This is a provisional male morphospecies (not a formal binomen), as there is some evidence this may be the male of C.longipennis (see taxonomic note for that species). The genitalia of the only specimen were heavily compressed during mounting, splitting the aedeagus and distorting other structures, complicating its comparison with similar species. This morphospecies belongs to the C.moravicus group based on having the aedeagus lateral margins mostly straight and a concave posterior margin, deep hyaline medial incision, and the dorsolateral and apical points of the aedeagus adjacent at the posterolateral corner of the aedeagus. Ceratoculicoides sp. M1 ( Fig. 10c ) lacks the extensive subtrapezoidal medial incision of C.borkenti sp. nov. ( Fig. 9f ), while this species can be separated from C.grogani sp. nov. ( Fig. 9i ) by the posterolateral point length being subequal to its basal width (vs much longer than its basal width) and the apex of the posterolateral point is directed anterolaterally (vs slightly posterolaterally). It is distinguished from C.propinquus sp. nov. ( Fig. 10k ) by the presence of accessory spines between the apical and posterolateral points of the aedeagus, and larger adult size (1.25 mm wing length). It can be differentiated from the very similar C.aliciae ( Fig. 10e ) and C.moravicus ( Fig. 10h ) by the lateral margins of the aedeagus being relatively straight, weakly expanding apically (vs distinctly narrowing about midway along their length in those two species) and the emargination at the posterior apex of the aedeagus is much broader. However, it is possible that these differences result from the amount of compression the specimen experienced during slide mounting, as the aedeagus is partially split medially. Ceratoculicoidesaliciae is smaller (male wing length 0.93 mm) than C. sp. M1 (suggesting its distinctness), but it is possible that C.moravicus is conspecific with C. sp. M1. This needs to be resolved by examining additional uncompressed specimens.

Figures

Fig. 5. Male heads II. Ceratoculicoidesmoravicus group. a. C. sp. M1. b. C.moravicusKnoz, 1987. c. C.propinquus sp. nov. d. C.grogani sp. nov. e. C.borkenti sp. nov. Scale bars = 100 μm.

Fig. 10. Male genitalia III. Ceratoculicoides sp. M1: a. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed. b. Parameres. c. Aedeagus. C.aliciaeHuerta & Borkent, 2005: d. Parameres (adapted from Huerta & Borkent 2005). e. Aedeagus (adapted from Huerta & Borkent 2005). C.moravicusKnoz, 1987: f. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed. g. Parameres. h. Aedeagus. C. propinquus sp. nov.: i. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed. j. Parameres. k. Aedeagus. Abbreviations: ALP = apicolateral point of epandrium; AP = apical point of aedeagus; BA = basal arch of aedeagus; CRC = cercus; GC = gonocoxite; GCA = gonocoxal apodeme; GNS = gonostylus; HI = hyaline incision of aedeagus; HYP = hypandrium; PA = paramere apex; PB = paramere base; PLP = posterolateral point of aedeagus. Scale bars = 100 μm.

Fig. 13. Distribution. a. Western North America. Solid star =Ceratoculicoides aliciae Huerta & Borkent, 2005; solid circles = C.borkenti sp. nov.; open triangles = C.grogani sp. nov.; open star = C. longipennis (Wirth, 1952); open square = C. pacificus sp. nov.; solid triangle = C.propinquus sp. nov.; solid cross C. sp. M1. b. Eastern North America. Solid circles = C. confusus sp. nov.; open squares = C.virginianus (Wirth, 1951). c. Central and northern South America. Solid circle = C.confusus; open squares = C. sp. F1; open triangles = C. sp. F2; solid triangle = C. sp. F3.

Fig. 9. Male genitalia II. Ceratoculicoides virginianus (Wirth, 1951): a. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed.b. Parameres.c. Aedeagus.C.borkenti sp. nov:d. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed. e. Parameres.f. Aedeagus.C.grogani sp. nov.: g. Genitalia, aedeagus and parameres removed. h. Parameres. i. Aedeagus. Abbreviations: ALP = apicolateral point of epandrium; AP = apical point of aedeagus; BA = basal arch of aedeagus; CRC = cercus; GC = gonocoxite; GCA = gonocoxal apodeme; GNS = gonostylus; HI = hyaline incision of aedeagus; HYP = hypandrium; PA = paramere apex; PB = paramere base; PLP = posterolateral point of aedeagus. Scale bars = 100 μm.