Culicoides pseudostigmaticus Tokunaga

Bellis, Glenn & Dyce, Alan, 2011, Marksomyia, a new subgenus of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Australasian biogeographic region with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3014, pp. 35-38 : 39-44

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.204428
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5673950
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1D6FB737-FF93-FFA9-FF2F-F9FF5129FF7C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Culicoides pseudostigmaticus Tokunaga
status

Treatment

( Figs 2 View FIGURES 1 – 6 , 8 View FIGURES 7 – 12 , 14 View FIGURES 13 – 18 , 20 View FIGURES 19 – 24 , 27 View FIGURES 25 – 32 , 34 View FIGURES 33 – 38 , 40 View FIGURES 39 – 44 , 46 View FIGURES 45 – 50 , 52 View FIGURES 51 – 56 )

Culicoides pseudostigmaticus Tokunaga 1959:234 .

Non-type material examined. PNG, DPI Stn Urimo, NG, 2–3.Dec.1977, B. Kadeu (3 females ANIC); East Sepik Prov., Wirul Mission via Weewak, 3°34.692'S, 143º38.767'E, 22.Oct.2007, LT, A.Rice (1 male, 4 females AQISNT); Balamuk, 8º54.34'S, 141º16.584'E, 3–7.Oct.2007, LT, J.Schmidt (1 female AQISNT); Indonesia, Irian Jaya ( Papua), Jayapura, 23.Oct.1989, Sukarsih (1 female BALITVET); Jayapura, 6.Nov.1989, Sukarsih, 1 female; Jayapura, 25.Sep.1989, Sukarsih (1 male BALITVET).

Diagnosis. Wing with single pale spot in cell M4. Female with SCo distribution 3, 11–15, six SCh on 4–7, four to five SCh on 8–10, single SCh on 11–14, SCh absent from 15; spermathecae subspherical with proximal half nonsclerotised. Male with apical half of parameres slightly curved laterad, ventral membrane of ninth sternite spiculate.

Female. Head. Eyes bare except for a weak band of interfacetal hairs medially, separated by a distance of at least one facet ( Fig 2 View FIGURES 1 – 6 ), proboscis short. Palpus pale brown with five segments (fig 8), segment 3 expanding apically then abruptly narrowed beyond an irregular, shallow sensory pit with several protruding capitate sensilla. Antennomeres (fig 14) 4–10 barrel shaped, 11–15 cylindrical, short.

Thorax. Legs (fig 20) dark brown with dark knees, fore & mid femora pale basally and with conspicuous apical pale band, hind femora dark brown with less conspicuous apical pale band; all tibiae with distinct basal pale band. Wing (fig 27) strongly patterned with a single pale spot in cell M4.

Abdomen. Three developed, ovoid spermathecae partially to almost completely sclerotised, ducts short; sclerotised ring tapered ( Fig 34 View FIGURES 33 – 38 ).

Male. Head. Eyes bare except for a weak band of interfacetal hairs medially. Palpus similar to female with a shallow pit on segment 3. Antenna ( Fig 40 View FIGURES 39 – 44 ) of specimens examined partially feminised with all antennomeres fully independent and lacking the oblique row of plume verticils present in males of other species of Marksomyia; antennomeres 3–10 broader than antennomeres 11–15 with gradual increase in length from basal to distal antennomeres. SCh of two distinct types, 3–10 with basal whorl of five to eight very long SCh resembling plume aristae, 11–14 with basal whorl of two to four short SCh resembling those present on distal antennomeres of males of other species of Marksomyia. Non-plume SCh on 3 reaching to antennomere 7 or 8.

Genitalia. (fig 46) Ninth tergite with caudal margin convex. Ninth sternite with moderately deep, caudomedial excavation, ventral membrane with a continuous narrow band of spicules across its anterior margin. Gonocoxite short and broad with dorsal root long and simple; ventral root reduced to a short, stout point. Gonostylus slender, distally curving gently to a pointed apex. Aedeagus with shoulders thicker than basal arms and almost perpendicular to distal process; distal process short with a rounded expansion. Parameres weakly joined, with straight basal arms angled sharply to weakly swollen stem lacking ventral lobe narrowing gradually to simple sharp-tipped distal portion curved lateroventrad.

Immatures. unknown.

Distribution. New Guinea.

Biology. Unknown.

Remarks. While feminisation of the male antenna is not unknown within the genus Culicoides ( Dyce 1996) , it is possible that the male specimens of C. pseudostigmaticus examined in this study are in fact intersexes. This condition is observed occasionally in field collected material and is often caused by infestation with mermithid parasites (Poinar & Sarto i Monteys 2008). No such parasites were observed in the specimens examined herein. These specimens are the only males known for this species and for this reason they were described herein although we acknowledge that they may not represent the normal morphology of the male of this species.

Male and female specimens of C. pseudostigmaticus can be distinguished from all other Marksomyia excepting C. dycei by the single pale spot in cell M4. See comments under C. dycei for other distinguishing features.