Culicoides (Anilomyia) pseudodecor, Spinelli & Huerta & Cct-Ilpla & InDRE, 2015

Spinelli, Gustavo R., Huerta, Herón, Cct-Ilpla & InDRE, 2015, Four new species of Mesoamerican biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (2), pp. 811-824 : 818-821

Culicoides (Anilomyia) pseudodecor sp. nov.

( Figs 3 , 19–28 , 33 ) Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, MEXICO: MORELOS: El Salto Falls, 17.vi.1969, W. & D. Hasse, light trap (USNM). ALLOTYPE: ♀, MEXICO: VERACRUZ: Fortín de las Flores, vi.1964, F. S. Blanton (USNM). PARATYPES: 6 ♀♀, same data as allotype (2 in CAIM, 1 in MLP, 1 in FSCA, 2 in USNM).

Diagnosis. Male and female: Only species in the subgenus C. (Anilomyia) with third palpal segment swollen with subapical broad, deep sensory pit, and hind femur with median broad band of dark pigmentation. Also species with sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1, (6), (8), 9–13, and flagellomere 9 as long as 7–8 combined in the female antenna, and basal arch of aedeagus very high, and with each paramere provided with a stout tip in the male genitalia. Description. Female ( Figs 3 , 19–22 ). Head ( Fig. 19 ) dark brown. Eyes bare, barely contiguous. Flagellum ( Fig. 20 ) with flagellomeres 1–8 short, pale brown, 9–13 subcylindrical, elongate, darker; AR 1.27–1.39 (1.35, n = 7); sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1, (6), (8), 9–13 (only one specimen with sensilla on 6 and 8); flagellomere 9 as long as flagellomeres 7–8 combined. Palpus ( Fig. 21 ) dark brown; third segment swollen with subapical, broad, deep sensory pit; PR 1.92–2.16 (2.02, n = 7); P/H ratio 0.54–0.64 (0.61, n = 7). Mandible with 11–13 (12, n = 7) teeth.

Thorax. Yellowish brown; anterior margin of scutum narrowly dark brown; postscutellum, pleura dark brown. Legs yellow, basal 2/3 of fore femur brown, hind femur with broad mesal brown band, distal 2/3 of foretibia brown, apices of mid- hind tibiae dark brown, prominent knee spots on all legs. Wing ( Fig. 3 ), length 0.99–1.25 (1.14, n = 7) mm; width 0.43–0.57 (0.51, n = 5) mm; CR 0.60–0.64 (0.62, n = 7); predominantly pale; dark markings small, forming an interrupted zig-zag pattern by the extensive pale areas. Macrotrichia numerous on distal 1/2 of wing, extending to near base in m

1

and anal cell. Halter whitish.

Abdomen. Pale brown. Two pyriform, subequal spermathecae ( Fig. 22 ), measuring 57–67 (61, n = 7) by 48–52 (50, n = 7) μm; rudimentary third present.

Male ( Figs 23–28 ). Similar to female with the usual sexual differences. Head ( Fig. 23 ) with flagellomeres 10–13 as in Fig. 24 ; palpus as in Fig. 25 ; wing length 1.15 mm; width 0.40 mm; CR 0.57. Genitalia ( Figs 26–28 ) with tergite 9 bearing large, slender, divergent apicolateral processes; sternite 9 narrow, 0.28 times longer than broad, with broad, shallow posteromedian excavation. Gonocoxite 1.85 times longer than greatest (basal) breadth, dorsal root small, ventral one very reduced; gonostylus as long as gonocoxite, nearly straight, only curved at pointed tip. Parameres separate, each with abruptly bent, knobbed base; main portion slender, nearly straight; distal portion slender, abruptly bent laterad, then ventromesad, tip finely pointed. Aedeagus V-shaped, with pointed basal arch extending to 0.72 of total length, apex slender, rounded.

Differential diagnosis. Culicoides pseudodecor sp. nov. keys out in couplet 2 in WIRTH & BLANTON (1970) to C. decor (Williston, 1896) from Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and C. nigrigenus Wirth & Blanton, 1956 from Mexico to Colombia, Trinidad and northern Argentina. However, the third palpal segment of C. decor is slender, the proboscis is distinctly shorter (P/H ratio 0.85 in C. decor ) and the spermathecae are very large and unequal. Culicoides nigrigenus differs from this new species by the sensilla coeloconica distributed on flagellomeres 1–13, by the flagellomeres 9–13 distinctly longer, and by the lower basal arch of the aedeagus.

Etymology. The name pseudodecor is given due to its resemblance of this species to C. decor . The specific epithet should be treated as an adjective.

Distribution. This species is distributed in Mexico (Morelos, at ca. 2979 m a.s.l., and Veracruz, at 1048 m a.s.l.) ( Fig. 33 ).

Figures

Figs 1–4. Female wings. 1 – Culicoides fortinensis sp. nov., holotype female; 2 – C. rulfoi sp. nov., allotype female; 3 – C. pseudodecor sp. nov., allotype female; 4 – C. woodruffi sp. nov., holotype female.

Figs 19–22. Culicoides pseudodecor sp. nov., allotype female: 19 – head; 20 – flagellum; 21 – palpus; 22 – spermathecae. Scale bars: 23 = 0.16 mm; 24-26 = 0.04 mm. Abbreviations: Sbas, sensilla basiconica; Scoe, sensilla coeloconica; Schaet, sensilla chaetica; Stri, sensilla trichodea.

Figs 23–28. Culicoides pseudodecor sp. nov., holotype male: 23 – head; 24 – flagellomeres 10-13; 25 – palpus; 26 – genitalia (ventral view); 27 – parameres (ventral view); 28 – aedeagus (ventral view). Scale bars: 27 = 0.16 mm; 28-29, 31-32 = 0.04 mm; 30 = 0.064 mm).Abbreviations: Scoe, sensilla coeloconica; Schaet, sensilla chaetica.

Fig. 33. Distributions of described species. Square – Culicoides fortinensis sp. nov.; circle – C. rulfoi sp. nov.; triangle – C. woodruffi sp. nov.; asterisk – C. pseudodecor sp. nov.