Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) paranaense, Cazorla, Carla G. & Spinelli, Gustavo R., 2010

Cazorla, Carla G. & Spinelli, Gustavo R., 2010, Four new Neotropical species of Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 2669, pp. 45-56 : 50

Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) paranaense n. sp.

( Figs. 18–25 , 37 , 39 )

Diagnosis. The only species of Neotropical Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) with general pale coloration, wing membrane hyaline, gonocoxite with mesal protuberance pointed and gonostylus stout and pale, contrasting with the rest of genitalia dark brown.

Male. Head. Dark brown. Antenna with flagellomeres as in Fig 18 ; plume brown, dense; antennal ratio 0.74. Maxillary palpus dark brown; third segment short; palpal ratio 2.00.

Thorax. Dark brown. Scutum with anterolateral pale yellowish spots; scutellum with 6 stout setae. Legs pale brown, basal 1/2 of femora brown, knees dark brown; hind tibial comb with 6 spines; prothoracic TR 2.13; mesothoracic TR 2.70; metathoracic TR 2.13. Wing ( Fig 19 ) lenght 1.13 mm; width 0.42 mm; membrane hyaline, anterior veins pale brown, other veins poorly perceptible except cubital fork, later distal to level of beginning of r-m; macrotrichia on costa, R1, scarce on distal margin of r3; first radial cell narrow; second 2 times longer than first. Halter pale.

Abdomen. Pale. Genitalia ( Figs. 20–21 , 37 ) dark brown; tergite 9 produced beyond level of end of gonocoxites, progressively narrowing distad, posterior margin rounded; cercus stout, roudend; sternite 9 folded in the studied specimen. Gonocoxite 2.16 times longer than greatest breadth, inner margin with pointed protuberance directed anteromesad. Gonostylus pale, stout, 1.58 times shorter than gonocoxite, slightly curved with blunt apex. Parameres separate, articulated to sclerotized, bilobed apodeme, each with basal portion slender, curved; posteromedian process broad anteriorly, distal portion narrowed, curved mesad to pointed apex. Aedeagus represented by short, convergent sclerites.

Female. Similar to male, with usual sexual differences.

Head. Yellowish brown. Antenna as in Fig. 22 ; antennal ratio 1.14–1.42 (1.25, n= 5). Maxillary palpus ( Fig. 23 ) brown, except first segment pale; palpal ratio 3.25–3.75 (3.56, n= 7). Mandible with 7–8 teeth.

Thorax. Dark brown, humeral areas yellowish; scutellum yellowish brown with 4 setae. Legs pale yellowish, hind femur slightly darker; hind tibial comb with 7 spines; prothoracic TR 1.76–1.91 (1.82, n= 7); mesothoracic TR 2.33–2.53 (2.39, n= 7); metathoracic TR 2.02–2.14 (2.08, n= 7); claws of hind legs small. Wing ( Fig. 24 ) length 1.10–1.24 (1.19 n = 7) mm; width 0.45–0.49 (0.47, n= 7) mm; membrane hyaline, anterior veins pale brown; macrotrichia on costa, R1, R2, R3, M1, M2, abundant on distal 1/3 of r3, m1, scarce on distal margin of m2; first radial cell elongate, second 3.58 times longer than first.

Abdomen. Pale brown. Genitalia as in Fig. 25 ; anterior margin of sternite 8 straight, posteromedian excavation V-shaped; sternite 10 short with 4 pairs of setae; cerci short, rounded; two ovoid spermathecae, necks nearly indistinguishable, measuring 7.5 x 5.2 µm, 5.0 x 4.0 µm; rudimentary third present.

Distribution. Argentina (Misiones province) Paraguay (Itapúa department) ( Fig. 39 ).

Types. Holotype male, Argentina, Misiones prov., Corpus, 6-IX-2000, G. Spinelli, trampa CDC; allotype female, same data as holotype except 5-IV-2000. Paratypes: 7 females as follows: same data as allotype, 4 females; same data except 8-III-2000, 1 female; El Soberbio, 11-XI-2006, G. Spinelli, 1 female, light trap. Paraguay, Itapúa, Bella Vista, 8-III-2000, A. Ortiz & D. Lopez, 1 female, CDC light trap.

Discussion. Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) paranaense strongly resambles the Nearctic species S. (A.) fuscula Wirth , especially by the male genitalia. However, the gonocoxite of the latter species bears an elongate mesal protuberance directed anterad, the gonostylus is slender and the apodemes of parameres are trilobed. The female of S. (A.) fuscula exhibits the thorax and the abdomen entirely dark brown.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Distribution of Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) guarani, S. (Acanthohelea) monopicta, S. (Acanthohelea) paranaense and S. (Acanthohelea) xerophila.

FIGURE 18 – 25. Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) paranaense sp. n., 18 – 21 male; 22 – 25 female; 18 — antenna, 19 — wing, 20 — genitalia (ventral view), 21 — parameres removed, 22 — antenna, 23 — maxillary palpus, 24 — wing, 25 — genitalia (dorsal view). Scale bars: 0, 0 5 mm.

FIGURE 34 – 38. Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) guarani sp. n., 34 — scutum, 35 — male genitalia; Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) monopicta sp. n., 36 — male genitalia; Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) paranaense sp. n., 37 — male genitalia; Stilobezzia (Acanthohelea) xerophila sp. n., 38 — male genitalia. Scale bars: 0, 0 5 mm.