Paraedes jambulingami, Natarajan, 2019

Natarajan, R., 2019, Description of a new species of the genus Paraedes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Assam, India, Zootaxa 4691 (3), pp. 286-292 : 287-290

Paraedes jambulingami n. sp.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1 A–F). Head: Antenna brown, equal to length to proboscis, lightly verticillate, pedicel dark brown with a few short fine setae and small dark scales mesally; maxillary palpus 0.10 length of proboscis; clypeus pale brown; proboscis about equal to length of forefemur; vertex completely covered with dark brown scales; occiput with a few short dark brown erect forked scales; interocular and ocular setae dark brown and well developed, narrow pale brown scales on ocular line. Thorax: Scutal integument dark brown; scutum covered with narrow reddish-brown curved scales except for narrow curved golden scales on anterior promontory and anterior scutal fossal area; scutellum with small patch of narrow reddish-brown curved scales on each lobe, 4 setae on midlobe, 2,3 setae on each lateral lobe; antepronotum covered with narrow pale brown scales, 6 dark setae; postpronotum dark brown with a few broad translucent scales posteriorly; pleural integument pale brown; propleuron with patch of silverywhite scales, 8 setae; paratergite with broad golden-brown scales ( Fig. 1H ); mesokatepisternum with large patch of broad silvery-white scales on upper area and small patch of similar scales on lower area, 4 golden setae on upper area; prealar knob with 3,4 dark setae; mesepimeron with large patch of broad silvery-white scales, 3,4 golden setae. Legs: Coxae with numerous setae, anterior surface of forecoxa with broad pale brown scales and silvery-white scales dorsally; mid- and hindcoxae each with small patch of broad silvery-white scales on anterior surface; femora with brown scales on anterior surfaces; hindfemur with a long ventral patch of broad pale scales which becomes narrower distally and ends preapically; fore- and midungues unequal in size and simple; hindungues equal in size and simple, smaller than the fore- and midungues. Wing: Dorsal and ventral surfaces of veins dark-brown scaled; costa without pale scales. Abdomen: Terga dark brown-scaled, terga II–VII with small basolateral patches of white scales; sterna white-scaled. Genitalia: Tergum IX moderately pigmented, bilobed, with 3 setae on each lobe ( Fig. 1D ); gonocoxite ( Fig. 1A ) pigmented, tergal surface with long setae on distal 0.5, numerous short setae on mesal area and irregular rows of setae on proximal 0.75 of tergomesal margin, setae short distally and increase in length proximally, lateral surface with a few long and short setae, sternal surface with subapical rows of about 25–32 moderately long setae and a few short setae on mesal margin, lateral surface and lateral areas of tergal and sternal surfaces covered with minute spicules, scales absent; gonostylus ( Fig. 1A, B ) about 0.75 length of gonocoxite, pedicel narrow, distal portion bifid, inner arm large, flattened, rectangular, apex bluntly rounded, a patch of spicules forming file-like ridges, a row of 4 stout setae along inner margin of patch, 5 delicate setae along outer margin, 5 short setae on distal margin, other arm about equal length of inner arm, curved sternomesad, club-shaped, outer margin with ridges of spicules; basal mesal lobe ( Fig. 1C ) divided at base into 2 long arms, dorsal arm with distal 0.5 narrower, curved tergally and with 3 moderately long hook-like seta at apex, proximal 0.5 somewhat flattened and covered with numerous long spicules, outer arm somewhat flattened and forked on distal 0.5, a rod-like outer extension with a strong moderately long seta, a long flattened tergally curved blade-like seta and a large flattened, fimbriated, apically curved and pointed mesal extension; phallosome with aedeagus ( Fig. 1F ) divided into 2 heavily pigmented lateral, basally connected plates, each plate with 1,2 long basomesal teeth, distal portion of each plate blunt at apex, a lightly pigmented dorsal flap covering lateral plates, paramere moderately broad, about length of aedeagus; sternum IX ( Fig. 1E ) moderately pigmented, with 2 long stout setae.

Female ( Fig. 1G, H ). Essentially as in male, however the scale patterns on head, thorax and legs, and the thoracic setae differ remarkably from the male. The following characters differ from those of the male. Head: Antenna dark brown, longer than proboscis, pedicel golden brown with a few small broad scales and curved short fine brown setae mesally, flagellomere 1 with a few small brown scales; vertex covered with dark brown scales and a triangular patch of narrow curved golden scales on median posterior area, rarely with few broad dark brown scales in triangular patch; ocular line and interocular space with narrow curved golden scales, lateral surface covered with broad dark brown scales and with a small patch of broad white scales anterior to antepronotum and posterior to eye margin; occiput with numerous dark brown and golden erect forked scales; interocular and ocular setae dark brown and well developed. Thorax: Scutal integument reddish brown; scutum covered with narrow curved brown and golden scales, a small patch on anterior promontory, a line of narrow curved golden scales from anterior promontory to scutal angle ( Fig. 1G ), a narrow stripe on acrostichal area from anterior promontory to prescutellar bare space at which it forks to form a narrow line along lateral margins, scales forming an indistinct narrow stripe on dorsocentral area, a small to median-sized patch on supraalar area; scutal setae dark, 2,3 on anterior promontory, dorsomedial setae present, which are stronger posteriorly ( Fig. 1G ), 1–3 anterior and 1,2 lateral setae on scutal fossa, numerous supraalar setae; scutellum with patch of narrow curved golden scales on each lobe, 3–6 strong and 1–3 delegate setae on median lobe, 2–6 strong and 2–4 delegate setae on each lateral lobe; pleural integument dark reddish brown; antepronotum with a patch of narrow curved golden scales, 6–12 dark setae; postpronotum with narrow curved reddish-brown scales on dorsal and posterior areas, 3–5 dark posterior setae; upper proepisternum with patch of broad white scales, 3–5 golden scales; paratergite with a patch of broad silvery-white to broad golden-brown scales, one specimen with 2,3 narrow pale scales along with broad scales; postspiracular area with a few broad white scales, 3–5 dark setae on posterior margin; mesokatepisternum with a large patch of broad silvery-white scales on upper area and small patch of similar scales on lower area, 3–5 dark setae on upper area and 6–11 setae on posterior area, 1,2 setae strong, lower setae short and pale; mesepimeron with large patch of broad white scales and patch of 5–12 short setae dorsal to scales. Legs: Coxae with several setae and broad silvery-white scales; fore- and midfemora with dark brown scales on anterior surface, hindfemur with brown scales on anterior surface and broad pale-scaled stripe on ventral 0.65; posttarsi each with 2 ungues, fore- and midungues equal in size and with tooth, hindungues equal in size and simple (equal in size and with tooth in 2 specimens). Wing: Veins dark brown-scaled on dorsal and ventral surfaces; costa without patch of white scales; alula with narrow dark brown scales on margin; upper calypter with number of slen- der dark setae on margin. Abdomen: Terga I–VII dark brown-scaled and with a large patch of white scales on basolateral area; sterna II–VII with white band in proximal area and dark band apically. Genitalia: Tergum VIII without scales, proximal margin medially concave, posterior margin straight, numerous setae scattered over posterior area; sternum VIII also without scales, posterior margin with a moderately deep median indentation and a small lobe on each side of midline, short setae on caudal area; tergum IX with a small median indentation and 4,5 short setae on each side of midline; insula with 4–6 small setae; lower vaginal lip with numerous minute to short spicules; upper vaginal lip with vaginal sclerite moderately pigmented; postgenital lobe with moderately deep median indentation and 5–7 setae on each side of midline; cercus with 2 long stout setae at apex, dorsal surface with number of short setae; one large spermathecal capsule.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Etymology. It is a pleasure to dedicate this species to Dr. Purushothaman Jambulingam, former Director, ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre, Puducherry, for his co-operation, encouragement, granting permission for the study on mosquito biodiversity in India and his constant support for me to learn mosquito taxonomy.

Specimens examined. Paraedes jambulingami . Holotype, male (A15657) with dissected male genitalia (G15657) and dissected posttarsi (all legs) on separate microscope slides: INDIA: Dibrugarh District , Soraipung (27°20′23.6″N; 95°29′25.4″E; 132 m a.s.l.), 26.08.200 5, resting on banks of stream margin, coll. Natarajan et al . Paratypes, same data as holotype: 8 females ( A15651 , A15652 , A15654 , A15659 , A15660, A15661, A15662, A15663) with dissected posttarsi (all legs) and genitalia (G15651, G15652, G15654, G15660, G15661,G15662, G15663) on individual microscope slides. The type series is deposited in the Vector Control Mosquito Museum, Puducherry, India .

Distribution. Paraedes jambulingami is only known from its type locality in Soraipung, Assam, northeastern India, covered by ever green rain forest.

Biology. The holotype male was collected resting on a stream margin and all females were collected while landing on humans during the daytime in shaded areas in a tropical evergreen forest at about 16.00 hours. Nothing is known of the natural hosts of females or habitats of the immature stages of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Paraedes jambulingami. A–F, Male genitalia: A, Distal portion of male gonocoxite; B, gonostylus; C, basal mesal lobe; D, terga IX and X and paraproct; E, sternum IX; F, phallosome. G,H, Female: G, dorsal aspect of thorax; H, lateral aspect of thorax.AcSc, acrostichal scale line; Ae, aedeagus; BML, basal mesal lobe; DS, dorsocentral setae; Gc, gonocoxite; Gs, gonostylus; Pa, paratergite; Par, paramere; Pha, phallosome; Ppr, paraproct; IX-S, sternum IX; IX-Te, tergum IX; X-Te, tergum X.