Bezzia (Bezzia) huberti, Grogan, 2020

Grogan, William L., 2020, A Revision of the Nearctic Predaceous Midges in the Bezzia (Bezzia) pulverea complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 4877 (3), pp. 429-467 : 455-457

Bezzia (Bezzia) huberti n. sp.

( Figs. 49–55 )

Bezzia male form 28F, Dow & Turner 1976: 67. Maryland.

Diagnosis. The only Nearctic species of the B. pulverea complex with the following combination of characters. Male medium-size (WL 1.57 mm); hind tibia dark brown with broad (0.25 of tibial length) yellow subapical band; all tibiae with stout apical spines; gonostylus very short with slender, curved, greatly elongate pointed outer prong and shorter, broad, blade-like inner prong. Females medium-size (WL 1.46–1.81 mm); hind tibia dark brown with pale yellow broad subapical to very broad (0.3–0.7 of length) apical band, but without large apical spines; spermathecae unequal-size with greatly tapered neck, the larger (0.17–0.20 mm long) very slender, up to twice as long as the smaller (0.08–0.12 mm long); and very large antennal ratio (AR 1.42–1.56).

Male. Holotype. Head ( Fig. 49 ). Brown. Antennal flagellum with flagellomere 1, apex of 10 and most of 11–13 brown, bases of 11–13 light brown; flagellomere 2 medium brown, 3–10 pale brown; 2–5 stout, vasiform, 7–9 elongate vasiform, 10–13 greatly elongate, 13 longest; plume dense, extending to mid length of flagellomere 11; AR 1.00; flagellum length 1.28 mm. Palpus moderately long; segment 3 broadest on basal half with 2 mesocentral capitate sensillae; PR 2.75. Mandible slender with 2–3 very small subapical medial teeth, no lateral teeth. Thorax ( Fig. 49 ). Reddish brown. Scutum with short stout setae, numerous on dorsum, sparse on lateral surfaces, 6 long, 4 shorter pre-alar setae; scutellum yellowish with 6 long setae. Fore femur yellow with light brown basal band, mid femur yellow with broad dark brown subapical band, hind femur brown, darkest distally; 2–3 fore, 1 mid, hind ventral femoral spines. Fore tibia with broad brown central, narrower basal, apical brown bands, and narrow sub-basal, broader subapical yellow bands, mid, hind tibiae dark brown, mid with narrow yellow subapical band, hind with broader yellow subapical band; 2 fore, 3 mid, 2 hind large apical tibial spines ( Fig. 51 ); dorsum of fore tibia with 2 spines, mid, hind tibiae with double row of long stout spines, most numerous on hind leg. Tarsi with tarsomeres 1–3 yellowish, 4–5 pale brown; claws as in males of B. pulverea . Wing ( Fig. 50 ) moderately narrow; membrane infuscated, darkest between costa, radius, and on and below radial cell; costa, radius and r-m crossvein yellowish brown, posterior veins pale, well developed; WL 1.57 mm, WW 0.47 mm; CR 0.70. Halter transparent, light brown; distal ½ of knob blackish, possibly whitish in life. Abdomen. Tergites brown with moderately dense long and short setae; anterior sternites purplish, posterior sternites brown, both with sparse short setae. Genitalia ( Fig. 52 ). Tergite 9 long, broad; cerci elongate, extending 2/3 length of gonocoxite with long subapical, apical setae. Sternite 9 long with very deep, broad apicocentral excavation, the outer and inner margins with dense fringe of fine setae, apicolateral extensions thin, difficult to see, their apices with inner serrations that extend to bases of aedeagal basal arms. Gonocoxite very broad, mesal margin straight, lateral margin greatly curved distally. Gonostylus very short; with short, broad, blade-like inner prong, the apex of which is slightly recurved antirad; outer prong slender, greatly elongate, curved distally, tip pointed. Parameres fused; basal arms broad, moderately sclerotized, recurved nearly 90˚, apices expanded, tips rounded; distal portion triangular, lightly sclerotized, lateral margins thickened, more heavily sclerotized; apex slender, tip apparently slightly pointed. Aedeagus broadly triangular; basal arch narrow, extending 1/3 of total length; basal arm elongate, heavily sclerotized, apices recurved 90˚, tips rounded; main body very broad, more lightly sclerotized with moderately high, broad shoulder-like basolateral extensions; apical section apparently very short, tip narrow.

Female. Similar to male with the following notable sexual and other differences. Head ( Fig. 53 ). Eyes separated by the diameter of 2 ommatidia. Antennal flagellum with flagellomere 1 brown, proximal ¼ pale, 2–8 with distal 1/3–1/2 brown, proximal 1/2–2/3 pale, 9–13 brown with extreme bases pale; flagellomere 1 moderately long, 2–8 vasiform with central whorl of long blackish setae, 9–13 elongate, 12 or 13 longest, with basal whorl of long hyaline setae and several similar setae scattered on remainder of surface; AR 1.42–1.56 (1.48, n=7); flagellum length 0.88–1.09 (0.96 mm, n=7). Palpus similar to male; segment 3 with 2–4 capitate sensillae; PR 2.44–3.50 (2.81, n=6). Mandible broad with 8–10 large distal, 4–6 smaller proximal medial teeth; most specimens with a few very short widely spaced lateral teeth. Thorax ( Fig. 54 ). Scutum similar to male except with only a few large anterior dorsal setae, and 4–9 large, 3–5 smaller pre-alar setae; scutellum with 5–6 long setae. Femora, tibiae with same banding pattern as male holotype, but with broader to very broad pale yellow subapical or apical hind tibial band, that are 0.3–0.7 length of the tibia; 2–4 fore, 0–1 mid, 0–2 hind large ventral femoral spines; dorsum of tibiae with 0–2 fore, mid spines, 2–4 larger hind spines; 2–3 fore, mid large apical tibial spines, hind tibia without large apical spines. Tarsi with coloration as in male; claws as in females of B. pulverea . Wing similar to male but broader with longer costa, radial cell; WL 1.43–1.90 (1.64 mm, n=7), WW 0.52–0.71 (0.61 mm, n=7); CR 0.70–0.78 (0.74, n=7). Halter uniformly brown or dark brown. Abdomen ( Fig. 55 ). Tergites, sternites 1–7 with only very sparse short setae. Two internal tergal apodemes present in all females, similar to those of B. pulverea . Spermathecae ( Fig. 55 ) unequal-size, elongate ovoidal, with narrow tapered necks, the larger (0.17–0.20 mm long) very slender, up to twice as long as the smaller (0.08–0.12 mm long).

Distribution. Maryland, Florida west to Arkansas and Louisiana.

Etymology. This new species is named for my recently deceased (2011) colleague, Alexander “Al” A. Hubert, former Lt. Colonel with U. S. Army Walter Reed Institute of Research, Washington, D. C., who collected the holotype and allotype and in recognition of his important contributions to the systematics of ceratopogonids. His large book “The Culicoides of Southeast Asia”, that he coauthored with Willis W. Wirth ( Wirth & Hubert 1989) dealt with 168 species, of which 53 were new species. Al was also a co-author with Wirth on seven other articles on biting and predaceous midges, and he has four other prior ceratopogonid patronyms: Alluaudomyia huberti Wirth & Delfinado (1964) , Stilobezzia huberti Das Gupta & Wirth (1968) , Parabezzia huberti Grogan & Wirth (1977) , and, Culicoides huberti Howarth (1985) .

Type Material. Holotype male, MARYLAND, Montgomery Co., Fairland, 10 June 1959, A. A. Hubert, light trap; allotype female, with same data except collected 21 May 1959 ( USNM) . Paratypes, 6 females: ARKANSAS, Drew Co., Monticello College Heights , 13 V 1969, Gary Hatley , 1 female. Hempstead Co., Hope , 4 VIII 1968, R. E. Woodruff, black light , 1 female; same data except 2 mi. E. of Smittle Farm , 2 females. FLORIDA, Escambia Co., Bratt , V–1968, FS & DC Blanton, light trap , 1 female. LOUISIANA, (East Baton Rouge Parish), Baton Rouge, Tigertown , 6 V 1947, at light , 1 female.

Discussion. Both sexes of four other species in the B. pulverea complex, B. pulverea , spicata , titanochela n. sp. and males of B. leptostyla n. sp. (females unknown), also have hind tibiae with pale subapical bands. However, these species differ from this new species by the characters provided in the key, their diagnoses and descriptions.

Figures

FIGURES 49–55. Bezzia huberti n. sp. Male, 49–52, Female, 53–55. 49 Head, thorax and legs. 50 Wing. 51 Hind tibial spines. 52 Genitalia at focal level of sternite 9, parameres, aedeagus and gonostyli. 53 Head. 54 Thorax and legs. 55 Abdominal segments 7–9 and spermathecae.