Simulium (Obuchovia) Rubtsov, 1947

Figs 8, 44, 84–85, 103, 113, 126, 144, 155

Obuchovia Rubtsov, 1947: 90 (as subgenus of Simulium). Type species: Simulium albellum Rubtsov, 1947 .

Species

Simulium adornatum (Rubtsov, 1956)

S. albellum Rubtsov, 1947

S. auricoma Meigen, 1818

S. biseriatum Rubtsov, 1940

S. brevifile (Rubtsov, 1956)

S. continii (Rivosecchi & Cardinali, 1975)

S. emiliae (Rubtsov, 1976)

S. galloprovinciale Giudicelli, 1963

S. ibericum Crosskey & Santos Grácio, 1985

S. karasuae (Panchenko, 1998)

S. margaritae (Rubtsov, 1956)

S. marocanum Bouzidi & Giudicelli, 1987

S. popowae Rubtsov, 1940

S. segusinum (Couvert, 1968)

S. transcaspicum Enderlein, 1921

Diagnosis

Female

Scutum black to dark brown; scutal pattern present(Fig.8)or absent(e.g., S. auricoma, S. galloprovinciale). Cibarium unpigmented anteromedially and unarmed. Tarsal claw without subbasal tooth. Hypoginial valves subtriangular, shorter than sternite VIII width, forwardly directed. Anal lobe subrectangular with ventral extension shorter than cercus base width.

Male

Ventral plate two times longer than wide, rectangular, not notched; lateral shoulders not projected (Fig. 44); posteromedial process absent. Gonocoxite wider than long, with base double in width than gonostylus width at their point of intersection. Gonostylus cylindrical, distinctly longer than gonocoxite, with blunt apex and without apical spurt. Parameres with both distinctly large and small accessory spines.

Pupa

Cocoon aperture upward directed, separated from substratum, not corbicular (Figs 84–85). Gills shorter than pupal body with main trunk development and totally enclosed by cocoon anterior margin; with six filaments arranged in different planes (tridimensional); filaments flexible, cylindrical, with blunt apices concolorous with rest of gill; inferior branch multibranched (Fig. 103). Thoracic trichomes simples.

Larva (last instar) Cephalic apotome spots insertion area pigmented (Fig. 126). Postocciput not extended over the cervical sclerites.Antenna equal or shorter than labral fan stalk, without secondary annulations. Mandibles with preapical teeth shorter than apical tooth; two mandibular serrations of same (e.g., S. obuchovia, S. margaritae) or different sizes (e.g., S. auricoma, S. ibericum). Postgenal cleft triangular; postgenal bridge length equal or less than hypostomal length (Fig. 144). Hypostomal anterior margin straight; hypostomal teeth extended beyond anterior margin of ventral wall of hypostoma (Fig. 155); medial tooth longer than lateral teeth; lateral serrations well-developed, sharp; paralateral teeth present. Body surface glabrous. Abdomen gradually expanding posteroventrally to last segments, then abruptly contracting to circlet (Fig. 113). Anal sclerite no encircling base of posterior proleg. Posterior portion of abdomen without sclerotized accessory plates. Without 1+1 ventral tubercles. Rectal papillae with three multi-branched lobes.

Remarks

Simulium (Obuchovia) was recovered as monophyletic and stable, based on one synapomorphy (Fig. 1, Table 2, node 8). We therefore propose its revalidation.

Distribution

Simulium (Obuchovia) is distributed in the Palearctic Region, ranging from North Africa through southcentral and southern Europe to the eastern Mediterranean area, the Caucasus and Transcaucasus, to south-west Asia, being recorded from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan (Adler 2020).