Serromyia galilaeae Szadziewski & Alwin, 2016

Alwin-Kownacka, Alicja, Szadziewski, Ryszard & Szwedo, Jacek, 2016, Biting midges of the tribe Ceratopogonini (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Middle East, with keys and descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 4079 (5), pp. 551-572 : 564-567

Serromyia galilaeae Szadziewski & Alwin sp. nov.

( Figures 5–7 )

Diagnosis. Blackish brown species distinct in having pruinose scutum, mid and fore tibiae yellow with dark apices, hind coxa with 1–4 lateral setae, mid femur armed with 2–5 short but strong ventral spines. 10th flagellomere in male antenna long. Base of paramere in male genitalia streight.

Description. Male. Head. Dark brown. Eyes bare, separated. Antenna with 10th flagellomere stout and elongated, almost as long as next, 11th flagellomere. Proportion of flagellomeres 10/11 0.80–1.06. Flagellomeres separated or proximal 1–5(6) fused, single ring of plume well developed on flagellomeres 1–10 ( Fig. 5b ). Total length of flagellum 1.12–1.20 mm, AR (4 distal/9 proximal) 1.15–1.29. Palpus composed of 5 segments, all dark brown. Third segment slender with numerous sensilla capitata, PR 2.7–3.0. Palpus length 0.27–0.32 mm.

Thorax. Uniformly dark brown, scutum pruinose. Wing pale with slightly darker distal half, first radial cells brown ( Fig. 5a ). Wing length 2.0– 2.13 mm, CR 0.58–0.61. Membrane without macrotrichia. Legs. Coxa and trochanter and femora of all legs dark brown (coloration of legs as in Fig. 7 ). Claws small and equal, with bifid apices. All femora with groups of sensilla coeloconica on ventral, basal surface. Hind coxa with 1–4 distinct lateral setae. Trochanters of all legs with numerous sensilla coeloconica. Fore leg. Femur slender, with 0–2 strong setae on basal half. Tibia yellow, with brown distal top; armed with 3–7 strong bristles (spine-like), strong apical spur present. Tarsomeres 1–2 yellow, 3-5 brownish. First tarsomere armed with two apical and two subbasal spines; tarsomeres 2–3 each with two apical spines. Fourth tarsomere cordiform. TR (I) 1.72–1.94. Mid leg. Femur slender, with 2–5 ventral, black spines on proximal half ( Fig. 5c ). Tibia yellow, with brown distal apex, unarmed. Tarsomeres 1–3 yellow, fourth and fifth brownish. First tarsomere with four pairs of strong spines on ventral side; second and third tarsomeres each with two apical spines. Fourth tarsomere cordiform. TR(II) 1.74–1.95. Hind leg. Femur swollen, 6.25 times longer than broad, armed with ventral spines of different lengths. Spines grouped in three rows with 11–12, 8–9 and 9 spines. Tibia dark brown; tibial comb with 8–11 large setae. Tibial spur short. Tarsomeres colored as in mid leg. Basitarsus with one, complete row of palisade setae, two apical spines present. Fourth tarsomere subcylindrical. TR(III) 1.6–1.95.

Abdomen. Uniformly brown. Genitalia. Uniformly brown. Sternite IX barely visible. Tergit IX with broad and long apicolateral precesses. Gonocoxite with long and slender ventral apodeme. Gonostylus slightly longer than gonocoxite, slightly curved with blunt apex ( Fig. 5d ). Parameres slightly S-shaped, base almost straight and more slender than distal part, apex blunt ( Fig. 5f ). Aedeagus with broad and low basal arch; apicomedian process blunt, with lateral prongs directed anterolaterally ( Fig. 5e ).

Female. Head. Dark brown. Eyes bare, separated. Antennal flagellum brown with paler proximal halves of 1– 7 flagellomeres ( Fig. 6a ); length 1.0 mm; AR 1.04. Palpus 5-segmented, length 0.31 mm; third segment slender, without senroiy pit, numerous sensilla capitata dispersed on surface ( Fig. 6b ), PR 2.67. Inner edge of mandible with 9–10 uniform teeth.

Thorax. Scutum and scutellum dark brown. Wing as in male, but macrotrichia present also at the edge in apical portion of wing ( Fig. 6d ). Wing length 2.08 mm; CR 0.70.

Legs. Coxa and trochanter dark brown. Fore coxa with 4 long bristles, mid coxa with 3 setae, hind coxa with 2 setae at the base. All trochanteres with group of sensilla coeloconica (without ring of microtrichia). Fore leg. Femur yellow, slightly darker at the apex, unarmed. Tibia yellow, with distinct darker apex, unarmed. Strong apical spur present. Tarsomeres 1–3 yellow, 4–5 slightly darker (brownish). First tarsomere with one subbasal and one apical spine. Tarsomeres 2 and 3 each with one pair of apical spines. Fourth tarsomere cordiform. TR (I) 2.07. Mid leg. Femur uniform yellow, armed with two short, strong spines on proximal half ( Fig. 6f ). Tibia yellow, unarmed. Tarsomeres of mid leg colored as those of fore leg. Basitarsus with four pairs of spines on ventral side; second and third tarsomere each with one pair of apical spines. TR (II) 2.0. Hind leg. Coxa with 2 lateral setae, strong bristles absent. Femur dark brown, swollen, with 3 rows of spines. Tibia dark brown; tibial comb with 11 large setae. Tibial spur present, short. Tarsomeres 1–4 yellow, fifth one darker. Basitarsus with one, complete row of palisade setae, one apical spine present. Fourth tarsomere subcylindrical. TR III 2.39. Hind claw single with strong inner tooth ( Fig. 6e ); shorter than length of fifth tarsomere (0.9).

Abdomen. Dark brown. Seminal capsules subequal, asymmetrical with neck prolonged into strongly sclerotized spermatecal duct ( Fig. 6c ). One measuring 88 × 56 mm and second 101 × 51 mm (neck not included).

Material examined. Holotype: male. ISRAEL. Monfort , 5.III.2008, leg. A. Freidberg ( TAU) . Paratypes: Montfort, 17.III.1983, 1 male, leg. A. Freidberg; Har Meron, 1100m, 14.IV.1999, 2 males, leg. A. Freidberg; Nahal Oren , 22. II.2008, 2 males, 1 female, leg. A. Freidberg; Monfort , 5.III.2008, 1 male, leg. A. Freidberg (CEI UG).

Distribution. Israel.

Etymology. Specific epithet is derived from historical, Latin name of region in which the specimens were collected—Galilaea.

Discussion. According to the key for Palaearctic males the species falls to couplet 7 together with S. femorata (Meigen, 1804) , while females to the couplet 9 together with S. femorata and S. subinermis Kieffer, 1919 ( Borkent & Bissett 1990). S. femorata differs in presenting totally pale wings, hind coxa without lateral setae, males differ in having fore and mid femora armed with 3 rows of strong bristles and parameres with expanded apices. S. subinermis differs in having hind coxa without lateral setae, tibia and femur of fore and mid legs in males armed with numerous strong bristles as in S. femorata ; parameres slender, with curved apices.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Serromyia galilaeae Szadziewski & Alwin sp. nov., male; a—wing, b—flagellum, c—mid femur, d—genitalia, e—aedeagus, f—parameres.

FIGURE 6. Serromyia galilaeae Szadziewski & Alwin, sp. nov. female; a—flagellum, b—palpus, c—seminal capsules, dwing, e—hind claw, f—mid femur.

FIGURE 7. Coloration of legs in Serromyia galilaeae Szadziewski & Alwin sp. nov.