Dasyhelea antonii Dominiak

Dominiak, Patrycja & Alwin, Alicja, 2013, Five new species and new records of biting midges of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer from the Near East (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 3683 (2), pp. 133-144 : 134

Dasyhelea antonii Dominiak sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 )

Type material. Holotype: adult male. United Arab Emirates. Sharjah Desert Park, N 25˚17' E 55˚42', 70 m asl, 15.XII.2008 – 12.I.2009, light trap, leg. A. van Harten (UG). Paratypes: United Arab Emirates. Al-Ajban, N 24˚36' E 55˚01', 60 m asl, 30.I–26. II.2006, Malaise trap, 2 males, leg. A. van Harten (UG). Sharjah Desert Park, N 25˚17' E 55˚42', 70 m asl, 11.XII.2008 – 06.I.2009, light trap, 1 male, leg. A. van Harten (UG); 12.I–02.II.2009, light trap, 1 male, leg. A. van Harten ( BMNH).

Diagnosis. Dasyhelea antonii is distinct in having a fifth palpal segment nearly two times longer than the fourth one, as well as a concave and well sclerotized posterior margin of 9th sternite of male genitalia.

Description. Male. Head. Distal flagellomeres with two rows of setae ( Fig. 1 ). Total length of flagellum 0.56– 0.58 mm, AR 0.89–0.94 (n=2). Clypeus entire with lateral lobes, bearing from 8 to 10 strong setae. Third palpal segment slender, length 60–72 μm, PR III 4.28–5.64 (n=4). Fifth palpal segment elongate, 1.7–2 times longer than fourth segment, with long setae located also in middle and at base ( Fig. 2 ). Thorax. Transverse suture present, number of supraalar setae varing from 6 to 8. Scutellum yellow, with 7–8 strong and few smaller setae. Wing length 0.78–0.99 mm, CR 0.44–0.45 (n=4), two radial cells present. Legs unicolor, TR I 1.9–2.1 (n=4), TR II 2.0 (n=2), TR III 1.8–2.0 (n=4). Genitalia ( Fig. 3 ). Tergite 9 rounded distally, with a pair of short apicolateral processes. Posterior margin of sternite 9 concave and well sclerotized, with very small median projections. Gonostylus long, slightly arched. Parameres asymmetrical. Posterior process broadly fused to right basal arm, long and slender, gradually tapering distally, markedly curved on apical portion. Arch of aedeagus low. Submedian projections stout, triangular, highly sclerotized only on ventral margins.

Female and immatures. Unknown.

Derivation of the name. This species is named after Antonius van Harten, the leader of the entomological projects in the Middle East, who collected and kindly sent us a lot of materials of biting midges.

Distribution. The United Arab Emirates.

Comments. Among all other species of this subgenus, Dasyhelea antonii is characterized in having the posterior margin of sternite 9 concave and strongly chitinized, and the aedeagus with prominent submedian projections. The species resembles D. modesta (Winnertz) and D. wirthi Clastrier (known only from female) in having a similar shape of the fifth palpal segment that is elongate, but in D. antonii bears additional long setae in median part.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Dasyhelea antonii Dominiak sp. nov. (1 – 3), holotype male (3), paratype male (1, 2): 1. distal flagellomeres, 2. palpus, 3. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea avia Dominiak sp. nov. (4 – 5), holotype male (5), paratype male (4): 4. distal flagellomeres, 5. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea libanensis Dominiak sp. nov. (6 – 8), holotype male (6, 8), paratype male (7): 6. distal flagellomeres, 7. palpus, 8. ventral view of genitalia.