Microculex (Microculex) davisi, Kumm

Bangher, Debora Natalia & Stein, Marina, 2017, Morphological redescription of Culex (Microculex) davisi and Cx. (Mcx.) imitator (Diptera: Culicidae) including structures and stages not previously described, Zootaxa 4347 (1), pp. 56-70 : 63-67

Culex (Microculex) davisi Kumm

Culex (Microculex) davisi Kumm, 1933: 565 (M*, F*, L*). Type locality: São Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Lane 1953: 528 (M*, F, L); Cotrim & Galati, 1977: 185 (M*, L*); Townsend, 1990: 65 (type info); Rozeboom & Komp, 1950: 1; Stone et al., 1959: 279; Forattini et al., 1970: 39.

Female. Size and characteristics of scales of vertex like those of Cx. imitator . General color light brownish. Proboscis with light brown scales, darker at apex, as long as forefemur, length 1.5–2.1 mm (mean 2 mm). Maxillary palpus 0.2–0.5 mm (mean 0.2 mm); palpomeres 3 and 4 with white basal spot, 5 all black. Maxillary palpus twice length of clypeus. Thorax: Scutum covered with pale brown scales with some white scales in central anterior portion and sides. Dorsocentral lines bare extending from the anterior and ending a little before the prescutellar area. These lines bare, delimited by dark brown scales mixed with light brown and golden scales. Prescutellar area dark brown, completely bare. Scutellum with 6 setae on midlobe and 3 on each lateral lobe, all setae long, thick, dark brown and shiny ( Fig. 1B ). Pleural integument pale brown, with central brown spot and silver mesokatepisternal scales. Pleural setae: 5 proepisternal, 3 prealar, 8 upper mesanepimeral, 1 lower mesanepimeral, 4 upper mesokatepisternal, 7 lower mesokatepisternal, 4 postpronotal. Pre- and postspiracular setae absent. Mesopostnotal integument bright dark brown, without scales. Wing: Length 2–3 mm (mean 2.5 mm), covered with narrow light brown scales. Halter: Capitellum with white scales and dark brown scales on apical portion. Scabellum and pedicel pale. Legs: Coxae with thin, clear setae. Femora and tibiae with dark scales on anterior surface and pale scales on posterior surface, and some short setae. Tibiae with narrow apical white rings and tarsomeres with narrow basal white rings. Ungues simple. Abdomen: Length: 2.0– 2.5 mm (mean 2.0 mm). Terga and sterna covered with dark scales and broad basolateral white bands. Tergum VIII with dark scales. Abdominal setae developed and abundant. Genitalia: Postgenital lobe short, rounded with 3 setae in line on each side, the most apical longer and thick. Cercus curved and elongate. Upper vaginal lip weakly sclerotized. Insula normal ( Fig. 2C ).

Male. Like female except for following differences. Head: Maxillary palpus with white band at base of palpomeres 3–5; terminal palpomeres with long black setae. Proboscis slightly shorter than palpus, covered with light brown scales and with a central pale ring. Antenna light brown, verticilate, slightly shorter than proboscis. Scutum, abdomen, legs, wings, color and features as described for female. Genitalia: ( Fig. 2D ): Gonocoxite 2.5 times longer than width. Subapical lobe with 2 divisions. Inner division with 2 strong terminal setae, 1 short thin seta on stem and 3 short thick setae at base of lobe. Outer division with 2 long terminal setae, 2 short terminal setae and 1 small thin basal seta. Gonostylus less than half length of gonocoxite, smooth, with 2 small setae at apex. Gonostylar claw bifurcate. Aedeagus: Lateral plate large, with 1 strong retrorse tooth characteristic of the subgenus. Tergum IX: With 2 well-separated lobes, each with 7 long setae. Paraproct crown with 10 digitiform spicules.

Pupa ( Fig.5 ). Chaetotaxy as figured; range and modal number of branches in Table 3. Cephalothorax: Integument with conspicuous spicules. Width 0.99–1.19 mm (mean 1.0 7 mm), length 1.03–1.23 mm (mean 1.10 mm). Trumpet conical, light brown, darker near base. Index 3.33 – 4. 66 (4). Tracheal area hyaline, length 0.09– 0.15 mm (mean 0.0 9 mm). Meatus length 0.38–0.47 mm (mean 0.42 mm). Metanotum small, seta 10-CT with 2 or 3 (3) branches, 11-CT single, 12-CT with 1–3 (3) branches. Abdomen: Length 2.71–3.30 mm (mean 3.0 0 mm), width 0.84–0.94 mm (mean 0.89 mm). Integument hyaline. First 5 terga with a darker coloration centrally. Paddle ovoid, hyaline, buttress darker, 2.5 times longer than segment VIII, length 0.71–0.76 mm (mean 0.73 mm), width 0.45–0.58 mm (mean 0.51 mm). Index 1.08–1.62 (1.35). Seta 1-Pa with 2 or 3 (2) branches, seta 2-Pa absent.

Larva (fourth-instar) ( Fig. 6 ). Chaetotaxy as figured; range and modal number of branches in Table 4. Head: Wider than long, covered with spicules, width 0.86–2.25 mm (mean 1.17 mm), length 0.75–0.98 mm (mean 0.86 mm). Integument light brown. Collar dark brown. Dorsomentum triangular, dark brown, with 9 teeth on each side of middle tooth. Setae 1,3,8,10-C single; 0,2-C absent; 4-C with 5–9 (6) branches, one longer, thicker and aciculate, 5-C with 3–7 (5) branches, 6-C with 2 or 3 (3) branches, 7-C with 5–7 (6) branches, 9-C with 7–10 (7) branches, 11-C with 6–8 (6) branches, setae 12,15-C with 2–4 (3) branches, 13-C with 1 or 2 (1) branches, 14-C with 4–6 (5) branches, 6-Mx with 1–7 (3) branches. Setae 4,8,10,11,13,15-C and 6-Mx smooth, others aciculate. Antenna: Length 0.30–0.45 mm (mean 0.37 mm), covered with small spicules. Seta 1-A with 1–3 (3) branches inserted 0.67 from base. Setae 2–6-A single, thick. Thorax: Integument hyaline, smooth. Setae 1–3-P and 9–12-P inserted on common tubercles. Prothoracic formula: (4-6)-1-(4-6)-(2-3)-1-1-(3-5). Abdomen: Integument hyaline, smooth. Setae 0,8-I absent. Seta 1-I with 8–11 (10) branches, 2-I with 1 or 2 (1) branches, 3-I with 2–4 (2) branches, 4-I with 4–6 (5) branches, setae 5,13-I with 1–3 (2) branches, seta 6-I with 2 or 3 (3) branches, 7-I with 2–4 (3) branches, setae 9,11-I with 1 or 2 (2) branches, 10-I with 6–8 (8) branches, 12-I with 7–9 (7) branches. Seta 6-II with 2 or 3 (3) branches, 7-II with 3–5 (3) branches. Segment VIII: Comb with 27–36 small scales of same size, each with a central apical spike-like spicule and lateral fringe of shorter spicules, arranged in 4 rows forming a triangular patch. Seta 5-VIII half length of segment X. Siphon: Integument light brown, smooth, with minute spicules, length 1.23–2.19 mm (mean 1.92 mm), width 0.20–0.33mm (mean 0.25 mm). Index 7.52. Pecten on basal third of siphon, with 13–16 spines of different sizes. Seta 1-S in 5 pairs, with 2–4 (3) branches, apical seta smaller with 1 or 2 (1) branches. Setae 2,6–9-S single. Segment X: Length 0.28–0.37 mm (mean 0.31 mm), width 0.26– 0.42 mm (mean 0.32 mm). Saddle complete, light brown (similar to siphon), spicules large, on posterior area of segment. Seta 1-X with 2–4 (3) branches, 2-X single, 3-X with 1 or 2 (1) branches, 4-X with 7 or 8 (7) branches. Anal papillae 3 times length of segment X, hyaline.

CT = cephalothorax.

Specimens examined: 5M, 7F, 6L, 6 Le, 6 Pe , 4 MG, 2FG as follows: Argentina, Chaco Province: km 1031 on National Route No. 11 (27º 10' S 58º 58' W), 1M, 30.IX.03; 1M 3.XII.02, Stein coll. and det .; Monte Alto (27° 26' S 58° 55' W) 1F 25. X.01 (km 7), Stein coll. and det .; Pampa de Indio (26° 01′ 60″ S 59° 55′ 00″ W) 2 Le, 2Pe, 1F, 1M, 1MG, 8.XII.09 (No. 1, No. 7), Bangher and Oria coll. Bangher det .; 2L, 9.IV.10; 3L, 15.IX.10; 1L, 2Le, 2 Pe, 1F, 12.I.11 (N°122); 1Le, 1Pe, 1F, 16.II.11 (No. 304); Bangher and Oria coll., Bangher det.; 1 Le, 1 Pe , 1F, 14.V.11 (N°170), 1F, 2M, 2 MG, 27. I.11. 1F, 12. V.10. Bangher and Oria coll. Bangher det .; Colonia Benitez (27° 19' 60" S 58° 55' 60" W) 2FG, 1MG 18.III.16. (N° 8, N° 9). Bangher coll. and det .

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Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal views of scutum of: A, Culex (Mcx.) imitator of the present study. B, Culex (Mcx.) davisi Kumm. C, Culex (Mcx.) imitator Theobald (1903). D, Culex (Mcx.) imitator of Kumm (1933).

FIGURE 2. Genitalia. A, female Culex (Mcx.) imitator. B, male Culex (Mcx.) imitator, 1. detail of the subapical lobe; 2. detail of the tergum IX. C, female Culex (Mcx.) davisi. D: male Culex (Mcx.) davisi, 1. detail of the subapical lobe; 2. detail of the tergum IX. Ce = cercus; GC = gonocoxite; Gs = gonostylus; I = insula; PGL = postgenital lobe; SL = subapical lobe; UVL = upper vaginal lip; IX-Te = tergum IX.

FIGURE 5. Pupa of Culex (Mcx.) davisi. A, cephalothorax. B, metanotum and abdomen. GL = genital lobe. Mtn – metanotum; Pa = paddle; T = trumpet; I – VIII = abdominal segments.

FIGURE 6. Larva of Culex (Mcx.) davisi. A, head. B, thorax and abdominal segments I – VI. C, abdominal segments VII – X. a = antenna; APP = anal papilla; CS = comb scale; Dm = dorsomentum; M = mesothorax; P = prothorax; PS = pecten spine; S = siphon; T = metathorax; I – X = abdominal segments.