Bezzia, Kieffer, 1899

Huerta, Herón, Spinelli, Gustavo R. & Grogan Jr, William L., 2023, New records of predaceous midges in Bezzia Kieffer and Phaenobezzia Haeselbarth from Mexico with description of two new species of Bezzia (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 5323 (4), pp. 535-552 : 536-537

Key to adult Bezzia from Mexico

Females of Bezzia capitata Wirth & Grogan , B. trujilloi n. sp., and males of B. breidenbaughi n. sp., B. mesotibialis Spinelli and Wirth , and B. mexicana Spinelli and Wirth are unknown. The key below is based on keys by Wirth & Grogan (1983) and Spinelli & Wirth (1989a, b; 1990; 1991). Due to their broad distributions, we included Bezzia glabra (Coquillett) and B. capitata in the key, despite that both species have not been reported from Mexico.

1. Male flagellomere 10 shorter than 11, antennal plume poorly developed; aedeagus triangular with minute spinules or setae; males considerably smaller than females; hind femur mainly yellowish or pale brown, sometimes with subapical pale band, if hind femur dark brown, spines not present; all tibiae commonly with bands basal and/or subapical or apical; if legs are spines only fore femur present; 1–5 pairs of gland rods (subgenus Homobezzia )......................................... 2

- Male flagellomere 10 as long as, or longer than 11, antennal plume well developed; aedeagus of variable shapes without minute spinules or setae; males about same size as females; hind femur and tibia mainly dark brown or black, if hind femur with pale medial band, with 1–6 spines; if legs with spines are present on all the femora; 1–2 pairs of gland rods (subgenus Bezzia )... 8

2. Female with fore femur moderately to greatly swollen with 7–10 stout ventral spines of alternating uneven lengths arising from distinct basal elevations; scutum without anterior spine; gonocoxite slender with sharply pointed tip (dentifemur group)............................................................................... B. raposoensis Spinelli & Wirth

- Female with fore femur slender, without spines or with 1–9 stout or slender ventral spines, without alternating uneven, with or without strong basal tubercles; scutum usually with anterior spine; gonocoxite with or without slender sharply pointed tip... ................................................................................................... 3

3. Fore femur without short black ventral spines (glabra group)................................................... 4

- Fore femur with one or more short black ventral spines (venustula group)......................................... 6

4. Legs yellowish, with narrow dark brown bands on fore and hind joints, narrow apices of tibiae and fainter at midlength of fore femur and tibia; spermathecae elongate with short necks; male sternite 9 with deep V-shaped posteromedian excavation.................................................................................... Bezzia glabra (Coquillett) .

- Legs coloration and male sternite 9 not as above; spermathecae ovoid with long necks; male sternite 9 usually with shallow posteromedian excavation.............................................................................. 5

5. Palpal segment 5 shorter than 4th, segment 3 elongate, PR 3.00–3.70; wing without dark spots; hind femur with pale subapical band; male sternite 9 with shallow, rounded posteromedian excavation....................... Bezzia pulchripes Kieffer

- Palpal segment 5 slightly longer than 4; segment 3 short, PR 1.70–1.80; wing with two distinctive small dark brown spots on r-m crossvein and apex of radial cell; hind femur without subapical pale band; male unknown.................................................................................................... Bezzia breidenbaughi sp. nov.

6. Female with ventral femoral spines present on all legs; halter dark brown; spermathecae subequal with long necks; male gonostylus 0.60 length of gonocoxite; parameres twice as long as aedeagus length, distal processes uniformly slender........................................................................................... Bezzia snowi Lane

- Female with ventral femoral spines present only on fore leg; other different characteristics........................... 7

7. Light brown species; antennal flagellum uniformly light brown; AR 1.80–2.13; legs brown, only fore leg slightly pale, with narrow pale sub-basal bands on tibiae and subapically on mid femur and on fore and mid tibiae, the broad apex of hind tibia pale..................................................................... Bezzia mexicana Spinelli & Wirth

- Dark brown species; antennal flagellum brown with narrow bases of flagellomeres pale; AR 1.04–1.31; legs dark brown, bases of tibiae pale (bases of femora and apices of fore or mid-tibiae somewhat pale).............. Bezzia venustula (Williston)

8. Fore femur usually without ventral spines; femora and tibiae usually with narrow pale rings, rarely femora pale at bases or tibiae pale (gibbera group)................................................................................... 9

- Fore femur with one or more black ventral spines; legs without brown or black bands, if banded the pale bands are broad.... .................................................................................................. 14

9. Scutum without setae arising from raised tubercles, with only fine pubescence; aedeagus without basal arch and main body ending in a broad, truncate, capitate tip........................................... Bezzia capitata Wirth & Grogan

- Scutum with setae arising from raised tubercles; other different characteristics.................................... 10

10. Mid tibia entirely pale..................................................... Bezzia mesotibialis Spinelli & Wirth

- Mid tibia dark brown, with or without narrow pale bands..................................................... 11

11. Mid tibia entirely dark brown; parameres with anterolateral plates poorly developed; aedeagus long, slender, triangular, with very low basal arch................................................................................... 12

- Mid tibia with narrow pale bands; other different characteristics............................................... 13

12. Spermathecae stout, ovoid, largest 0.08 mm long; gonocoxite stout, globose, with low, angular, setose lobe......................................................................................... Bezzia grogani Spinelli & Wirth

- Spermathecae elongate, largest 0.16 mm long; gonocoxite greatly expanded anteromesally, with a few stout spinules on distomesal section of the expansion.......................................... Bezzia hondurensis Spinelli & Wirth

13. Palpal segment 4 pale yellow; fore femur brown except distal 1/3 pale, fore tibia pale sub-basally and apically, mid tibia brown except distal 1/4 pale; gonocoxite with meso-ventral lobe; basal arms of parameres with short lateral point; aedeagus triangular, distal portion tapering distally with narrow rounded tip.................................. Bezzia gibbera (Coquillett)

- Palpal segment 4 brown; fore and mid femora and fore and mid tibiae brown with subapical, narrow pale rings; gonocoxite without mesoventral lobe; basal arms of parameres bilobed; aedeagus triangular, median portion with a pair of membranous lateral lobes, distal portion rounded..................................................... Bezzia trujilloi sp. nov.

14. Male sternite 9 with sublateral, heavily sclerotized lobes; legs primarily dark brown or black, at most with one pair of legs with broad yellowish bands. Wing with 3 prominent dark spots, one on r-m crossvein, below apex of radial cell and another at midportion on vein M 1 (punctipennis group)....................................... Bezzia punctipennis (Williston)

- Male sternite 9 without sublateral, heavily sclerotized lobes; legs broadly yellow or with broad yellow median bands on fore femur and tibia. Wing without dark spots (nobilis group)................................... Bezzia nobilis (Winnertz)