Culicoides (M.) cornutus De Meillon, 1937

Pielowska-Ceranowska, Agata & Szwedo, Jacek, 2020, Wing Interference Patterns in patterned wings of Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) - exploring potential identification tool, Zootaxa 4868 (3), pp. 389-407 : 396-397

Culicoides (M.) cornutus De Meillon, 1937

( Fig. 7a, b )

Chemical pigmentation ( Fig. 7a ). Light spots on a dark background. Pigment patterns with clearly defined boundaries. Cell r2, including distal part of C vein, uniformly dark. An irregular light patch beginning at the distal end of the sc cell, including part of C vein, smoothly passing down to the subcostal and radial veins (SC, R), partially covers r1 cell, and completely covers the R-M crossvein. Centrally located pale, small spot in the medial part of the wing. Four light spots in the r3 cell; proximal one abuts with distal end of C vein and covers the wing edge; third in the row hourglass-shaped. Three light spots in m1 cell, and two in m2 cell. Two patches in cua1 cell; one of them arched in shape, abuts on internal side of CuA1 and CuA2 veins. Three light spots in the anal cell; two uneven with less defined borders. Whole length of the M1 and M2 veins surrounded by brighter bands.

Interference patterns ( Fig. 7b ). Dominant colours: chocolate brown, purple. Structural colours in place of naturally occurring bright spots, light brown to pale orange (an, cua1, m2 cells), with pale lilac streaks (m1 cell), or light bluish streaks (r3 cell). Interference colours corresponding to the dark pigment on the wings mostly in shades of blue and purple with green afterglows. Venation clearly marked, veins surrounded by light brown bands.

Pattern of lighter markings in pigmentation pattern corresponds with WIP yellowish markings.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Culicoides cornutus (female—15), a—photograph of wing on white background, b—WIP visualization.