Afrostilobezzia gen. nov.

Type-species: Afrostilobezzia clastrieri sp. nov., by present designation.

Diagnosis. Known from females only. Scutum with 2 or 4 dark patches. Flagellum greatly elongated, longer than wing, without sensilla coeloconica. Palpus 5 segmented, sensory pit shallow. Wing without colour pattern, with well developed two first radial cells, apical membrane bearing macrotrichia. Legs slender, femora and tibiae without strong spines, each armed with two almost equal claws, both strongly bent at the base. Tarsomeres 1–2 of hind leg with three rows of palisade setae. Two functional seminal capsules with surface pores.

Description. Female. Yellowish brown medium sized species, with 2 or 4 dark patches on the scutum (Fig. 3 a). Wing length 1.5–2.4 mm. Flagellum greatly elongated (longer than wing length), all flagellomeres slender, without sensilla coeloconica. Distal five flagellomeres much longer than proximal ones, antennal ratio AR 1.0–1.1. Eyes bare, narrowly separate. Transverse interocular suture over vertical seta present (Fig. 2 a). Proboscis moderately long (Fig. 2 a). Mandible armed with 6–8 coarse teeth (Figs 1 c, 2e, 4a). Palpus 5 segmented, slender (Figs 1 e, 4a), sensory pit rounded, shallow (Figs 1 e, 2d, 4a). Anterior lateral cervical sclerites slender, s-shaped (Fig. 3 b). Paratergite narrow, bare. Anterior anepisternum broad, D-shaped. Anepisternum and katepisternum without setae. Scutellum with 4 or 6 marginal setae. Wing without colour pattern, with well developed two first radial cells, apical membrane bearing macrotrichia (Fig. 1 a). Costal ratio CR 0.82–0.85. Legs slender, without stout spines on femora and tibiae, each armed with two slightly subequal claws strongly bent at the base (Figs 1 d, 3f, 4c–e). Inner claws with (Figs 3 g–h) or without very small outer and inner barb on basal 1/3. Fourth tarsomeres cordiform (Figs 4 c–e). Tarsomeres 1–2 of hind leg with three complete rows of palisade setae (Figs 3 c–d). Abdomen moderately stout. Sternite 8 heavily sclerotized with distinct caudal lobes (Fig. 5 a). Sternite 9 with single arms (Fig. 5 a). Two ovoid, unequal, functional seminal capsules and a rudimentary one present (Figs 1 f, 5b).

Male unknown.

Etymology. The generic name is a combination of Africa and the genus Stilobezzia of the tribe Ceratopogonini .

Distribution. West Africa (Fig. 6 a–c)

Species included.

Afrostilobezzia clastrieri sp. nov., Nigeria.

Afrostilobezzia ornatithorax (Clastrier, 1988), Guinea.