Culicoides (Monoculicoides) stigma (Meigen)

William L. Grogan, Jr. & Lysyk, Timothy J., 2015, A revision of the biting midges in the Culicoides (Monoculicoides) nubeculosus-stigma complex in North America with the description of a new species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Insecta Mundi 2015 (441), pp. 1-24 : 10-11

Culicoides (Monoculicoides) stigma (Meigen)

( Fig. 22–36 )

Ceratopogon stigma Meigen, 1818: 73 . Europe.

Ceratolophus stigma: Kieffer, 1906: 61 . (combination).

Culicoides stigma: Goetghebuer 1921: 49 (combination; as?synonym of C. kiefferi Goetghebuer, 1910 ); Goetghebuer 1922: 59 (in review of Ceratopogonidae species described by Meigen).

Culicoides (Monoculicoides) stigma: Khalaf 1954: 40 (in list of species assigned to new subgenus Monoculicoides ).

Culicoides kiefferi Goetghebuer, 1910: 96 . Belgium.

Culicoides kiefferi Patton, 1913: 336 . India. (preoccupied by C. kiefferi Goetghebuer, 1910: 96 ; = C. oxystoma Kieffer, 1910: 193 . India).

Culicoides cordiformitarsis Carter, 1916: 134 . Egypt.

Culicoides unimaculatus Goetghebuer, 1920: 57 . (unnecessary new name for Culicoides kiefferi Goetghebuer, 1910: 96 ).

Culicoides stigmoides Callot, Kremer and Deduit, 1962: 166 . France.

Diagnosis. A medium to large species of the C. nubeculosus - stigma complex that differs from all other Nearctic species in this complex species by the following combination of characters: male wing length 1.26 mm, female wing length 1.41 mm (1.28–2.01 mm in European specimens); wing ( Fig. 24–25 , 28–29 , 32 , 35 ) membrane and most veins hyaline with only a single dark spot (stigma) over 2 nd radial cell. Male genitalia ( Fig. 26 , 33 ) with tergite 9 tapering slightly to broad apex, with a narrow, deep Vshaped median notch, slender apicolateral processes and a pair of submedian bluntly rounded caudal lobes that are nearly as long as the apicolateral processes; gonocoxite elongate, gonostylus long, tapered evenly to midpoint, distal half slender, curved; ventral membrane spiculate; distal portion of aedeagus bifurcate, each prong apically bifid. Female proboscis ( Fig. 27 , 34 ) moderately short (proboscis/head ratio 0.67–0.71); palpal segment 3 ( Fig. 27 , 34 ) moderately slender (palpal ratio 2.67–3.00), with a small shallow subapical pit; spermatheca ( Fig. 30 , 36 ) small (length 0.061mm), spherical with slender appendix-shaped extension opposite the spermathecal opening, without minute hyaline punctations, but with lightly sclerotized ring.

Distribution. Holarctic; in North America currently known only from central Alberta, Canada.

Type. Type locality, Europe, exact location unknown, but probably Germany.

Specimens examined. CANADA, Beaver River, Alta. (Alberta), 6. VI.1971, (J.) Shemanchuk, (J. A.

D. 857/12/1, 4-5) 3 males, and (J. A. D. 857/12/2, 4-8) 6 females. FRANCE, Aube, Chauffour-Les Bailly, La Loge Bailly, Light-trap 10 PL1 , 6-7 October, 2009, coll. J. C. Delécolle, 1 male. Haut-Rhin, Orbey, Les Champs Simon, 68 PL1 , 20-26 April 2011, coll. J. C. Delécolle, 1 female. Marne, Mosains, Lighttrap 51OL1, 17-18 August 2009, coll. J. C. Delécolle, 1 male. Oise, Caisnes, Light-trap 60 PL3 , 11-12 April 2011, coll. J. C. Delécolle, 1 female. POLAND, Barciany , 11-VII-1981, light trap, R. Szadziewski, 1 male. Brzyno, 22-V-1982, staw, mui do hodowli, R. Szadziewski, 1 male. Dolina Bedkowska, k. Krakowa, 3-VII-1983, R. Szadziewski, 1 female. Sosnowska, Karkonosze, 4-VIII-1982, net, R. Szadziewski, 1 female ; same data except 5-VIII-1982, light trap, 3 males .

Discussion. We compared our Nearctic specimens of C. stigma from Alberta, Canada ( Figs. 22–30 ) with Palearctic specimens of C. stigma from France ( Figs. 31–36 ) and Poland and found them to be conspecific. Our North American specimens from Canada are virtually identical with these Palearctic specimens in size, coloration, wing pattern, male genitalia, and, especially the unique female spherical spermatheca with a slender appendix-shaped extension opposite the spermathecal opening.

Bionomics. Edwards (1939) noted that “In the south of England C. stigma is a decidedly uncommon insect; the very small number of specimens in the British Museum are from the counties of Herts, Middlesex, Devon and Notts. It may be commoner in the north as Mr. H. Britten has taken numerous examples in and around Manchester. Dates of capture are mostly in May and June, with one record in September. Some specimens were taken biting at sunset, the bite being painful. Some of the specimens from Manchester were reared from larvae found among floating green algae at the edge of a small pond.” Boorman (1986) noted that C. stigma is “Usually found in association with livestock, breeding in mud contaminated with manure.”

Figures

Figures 22–26. Culicoides stigma, male, from Beaver River, Alberta, Canada. 22) Head. 23) Antennal flagellum. 24) Wing (image taken with confocal microscope). 25) Wing (reverse confocal image). 26) Genitalia.

Figures 27–30. Culicoides stigma, female, from Beaver River, Alberta, Canada. 27) Head. 28) Wing (image taken with confocal microscope). 29) Wing (reverse confocal image). 30) Spermatheca.

Figures 31–33. Culicoides stigma, male, from Marne, France. 31) Head. 32) Wing. 33) Genitalia.

Figures 34–36. Culicoides stigma, female, from Oise, France. 34) Head. 35) Wing. 36) Spermatheca.