Culicoides similis Carter, Ingram & Macfie

(PLATE 1F1–F3)

Culicoides similis Carter, Ingram & Macfie, 1920: 255; Smith & Swaminath, 1932: 183; Causey, 1938: 404; Sen & Das Gupta, 1959: 618; Khamala & Kettle, 1971: 78; Howarth, 1985: 85; Wirth & Hubert, 1989: 382.

Materials examined. 10♀, 8♂, West Bengal, Ashokenagar, 13.0351 N, 80.2095 E, August, 1968, (Coll. S.K. Das Gupta); 5♀, 2♂, Jharkhand, Maithon, 23.7800 N, 86.8100 E, 12.vii.1987, Coll. N. Saha; 5♀, 5♂, Burdwan, 8 July 2005, Coll. B. Pan.

Diagnosis (Modified after Wirth & Hubert, 1989). This species may be recognized by: bare, narrowly separated eyes, SCo on flagellomeres 1,3,5–8; proximal poststigmatic pale spot is faintly continuous with that of the pale spot on r-m and separated from the pale spot on vein M1, cell m2 with two pale spots, pale spot on cell cua1 broader than in other species, distal pale spot on anal cell broader anteriorly and constricted posteriorly. Male aedeagus without lateral processes and with slender, sharp-pointed stalk.