Culex (Culiciomyia) subaequalis Edwards, 1941

Cornel, Anthony John, Mayi, Marie Paul Audrey, Kowo, Cyril, Foncha, David, Andongma, Esack, Anong, Damian Nota, Elad, Mirabel, Djomo, Charlene, Tchuinkam, Timoleon, Brisco, Katherine K. & Sehgal, Ravinder, 2020, New species of Culex (Culiciomyia) (Diptera: Culicidae) from Talangaye Forest in Cameroon and descriptions and identification keys for males of the Afrotropical species of the subgenus, Zootaxa 4858 (4), pp. 451-506 : 493-496

Culex (Culiciomyia) subaequalis Edwards, 1941

Male. Wing 2.70 mm. Proboscis 1.90 mm. Forefemur 1.40 mm. Middle 0.33 of thoracic pleura light grey, upper 0.33 dark grey and lower 0.33 light brown, creating a pattern similar to that of Cx. cinerellus , except upper 0.33 darker than lower 0.33, whereas in Cx. cinerellus the upper and lower thirds have similar dark shading.

Head: White narrow decumbent scales on middle and back of vertex, single line of broad white decumbent scales along eye margin, forming a patch on each side of head ( Fig. 31A ), erect forked scales numerous and uniformly dark brown. Maxillary palpus longer than proboscis, with palpomeres 4 and 5 bearing setae, palpomere 4 about 0.75 length of palpomere 5 (ratio 0.74) ( Fig. 31E ), palpal comb consists of 6 or 7 equidistant translucent lanceolate scales ( Fig. 31B,E ), most anterior scale about length or slightly less its length away from apex of palpomere 3 ( Fig. 31B ). Antenna and proboscis similar to those of other Culiciomyia .

Thorax: Scutal integument light brown and covered with short brown setae, scutellar lobes with few narrow white scales. Pleural integument appears to have 2 stripes ( Fig. 31D ), dark antepronotum, middle 0.33 of postpronotum, postspiracular area and upper 0.5 of subspiracular area, prealar area and upper 0.33 of mesanepimeron form upper dark grey to brown stripe, lower light brown stripe corresponds to darker integument of proepisternum, lower part of subspiracular area, mid-upper part of mesokatepisternum and lower margin of mesanepimeron; no scales on pleura, setae on antepronotum, a row of 6 setae on posterior margin of postpronotum, 3 on proepisternum, prealar knob, all coxae, a few in upper and posterior margin of mesokatepisternum and a single lower mesepimeral seta. Halter with dark capitellum.

Wing: Scales all dark.

Legs: Coloured similar to those of other Culiciomyia , except for Cx. cambournaci ( Fig. 31C ).

Abdomen: Terga greyish brown with slightly paler small basal lateral spots; sterna generally grey and lighter than terga.

Genitalia: Tergum IX lobes each with row of 7 setae. Ventral surface of gonocoxite with few long setae all shorter than length of gonocoxite, in no obvious configuration, rows of 3–5 narrow setae along inner margin ( Fig. 32A ); dorsal surface sparsely covered with short setae; single undivided subapical lobe bearing 3 rod-like setae (a–c), most anterior longest and most posterior shortest, a single long quite robust and slightly striated seta (e), 2 small barbed setae (d 1, d 2), 1 small seta, 1 quite broad foliform seta (g) and a smaller narrower seta (f). Gonostylus with crest of 7 or 8 “spinelets” ( Fig. 32A ), a prominent dorsal membranous flange and ending in an upturned hook and a small membranous seta, dorsal margin before bend with 4 setae, 1 seta below middle of crest and 1 subapical seta, much of proximal 0.5 covered with short fine setae.Aedeagus with expanded base with a prominent basal hook or tooth ( Fig. 32B,C ); lateral plate without teeth or tubercles but quite long and gradually narrowed to a rounded tip. Paraproct with 2 or 3 subapical setae and a distinct basal arm about 0.75 length of paraproct ( Fig. 32B,C ).

Additional notes: See notes under Cx. pseudosubaequalis .

Specimens examined: One male collected by sweep netting through vegetation in the Talangaye Forest, Cameroon. Field accession number CAM 152 a 1 4/II/2017 .

Figures

FIGURE 31. External features of the male of Culex subaequalis. (A) Dorsal view of the head (vertex); (B) lateral view of the palpal comb scales (100x); (C) anterior view of the hindfemur; (D) lateral view of the thorax; (E) distal two palpomeres of the maxillary palpus (100x).

FIGURE 32. Male genitalia of Culex subaequalis. (A) Gonocoxite; (B) phallosome (400x); (C) drawn depiction of the phallosome.