Nilobezzia Kieffer, 1921

Alwin-Kownacka, Alicja, Szadziewski, Ryszard & Szwedo, Jacek, 2017, Predatory midges of the tribes Palpomyiini and Sphaeromiini (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Middle East, with keys and descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 318, pp. 1-30 : 24

Genus Nilobezzia Kieffer, 1921

Type species

Nilobezzia armata Kieffer, 1921 ; by original designation.

Diagnosis

Large robust midges. Wing often whitish at base, with distal or marginal infuscation; 1 or 2 radial cells; costa moderately short (female costal ratio about 0.80). Legs slender; femora slender to moderately swollen distally, females with short ventral spines, males with long, slender setae; hind tibia with long spine-like setae; female tarsomeres 5 with numerous ventral batonnets; female claws large, equal and bent at base, nearly straight distally, with short basal outer teeth. Male genitalia rotated and bent ventrally so that sternal surface is oriented caudally; gonocoxite and gonostylus poorly developed, usually fused, gonostylus short, thumb - like, immovable; aedeagus with short basal arch and cap - like tip; parameres with bulbous fused basal portion, distal halves elongate, tightly adpressed, tips slightly bulbous (de Meillon & Wirth 1991). Female abdomen with 2 small, slender sclerites and pair of setal tufts on sternite VIII; 2 seminal capsules.

Remarks

We are unable to distinguish Nilobezzia nilotica from N. nigritibialis and were not able to borrow the holotypes of either species or have access to them. Moreover, the original description of N. nilotica , by Kieffer (1925), is very poor and not helpful in distinguishing either species.