Culicoides (Culicoides) rulfoi, Spinelli & Huerta & Cct-Ilpla & InDRE, 2015

Spinelli, Gustavo R., Huerta, Herón, Cct-Ilpla & InDRE, 2015, Four new species of Mesoamerican biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (2), pp. 811-824 : 816-818

Culicoides (Culicoides) rulfoi sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 9–18 , 33 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE (J) and ALLOTYPE (♀): MEXICO: MICHOACÁN: Puerto Garnica , 9272 ft, 20.viii.1964, F.S. Blanton, light trap ( USNM) . PARATYPES:(7 JJ 4 ♀♀): same data as holotype, 5 JJ (2 in FSCA, 2 in MLPA, 1 in USNM) ; same data except between Morelia and Mexico city, 2 JJ 2 ♀♀ (2 JJ 1 ♀ in CAIM, 1 ♀ in MLPA). COSTA RICA: PUNTARENAS: Sabalito , viii.1953, F.S. Blanton, 1♀ ( USNM). PANAMA: CHIRIQUI: Floratina Farm, 5280 ft, 3.vii.1964, 1 ♀ ( USNM) .

Diagnosis. Male and female: only species in the subgenus C. ( Culicoides ) with third palpal segment long with subapical, shallow pit, scutum without a definite pattern, distal pale spot in cells r 3 narrowly contacting wing margin, and those in m 2, cua 1 and anal cell broadly abutting wing margin. In addition, this is the only species with sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1, 9– 13 in the female antenna.

Description. Female ( Figs 2 , 9–12 ). Head ( Fig. 9 ) dark brown. Eyes bare, contiguous by distance equal to diameter of 1.5 ommatidia. Flagellum ( Fig. 10 ) uniformly dark brown; flagellomeres 1–8 vasiform, 9–13 subcylindrical; AR 0.97–1.03 (0.99, n = 5); sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1, 9–13. Palpus ( Fig. 11 ) dark brown; third segment long with subapical, shallow pit; PR 3.30–3.75 (3.46, n = 5); P/H ratio 0.81–0.94 (0.88, n = 5). Mandible with 15–17 (16, n = 5) teeth.

Thorax dark brown, scutum without definite pattern. Legs dark brown, knees narrowly yellowish, hind tibia pale at extreme base; hind tibial comb with six spines, second from spur longest. Wing ( Fig. 2 ), length 1.38–2.01 (1.78, n = 5) mm; width 0.64–0.90 (0.80, n = 5) mm; CR 0.64–0.67 (0.65, n = 5); with white background, pattern roughly in form of three dark zig-zag bands, each more or less broken into separate dark spots centering on veins; distal pale spot in r 3 rounded, not occupying entire apex of cell to wing margin; distal pale spot in m 1 narrowly abutting wing margin, those in m 2, cua 1 and anal cell broadly abutting wing margin. Macrotrichia scattered on distal 2/3 of wing. Halter stem dark brown, knob pale brown.

Abdomen dark brown. Two pyriform, slightly unequal spermathecae ( Fig. 12 ), each measuring 65–80 (74, n = 5) by 48–57 (53, n = 5) μm, and 67–52 (69, n = 5) by 45–55 (51, n = 5) μm; rudimentary third present.

Male ( Figs 13–18 ). Similar to female with the usual sexual differences. Head ( Fig. 13 ) with flagellomeres 10–13 as in Fig. 14 ; palpus as in Fig. 15 ; wing length 1.73–2.25 (1.95, n = 8) mm; width 0.63–0.74 (0.69, n = 8) mm; CR 0.60–0.62 (0.61, n = 8). Genitalia ( Figs 16–18 ) with tergite 9 rounded posteriorly, apicolateral processes slender; sternite 9 narrow, with broad, shallow posteromedial excavation. Gonocoxite twice longer than broad with short, slender dorsal, ventral roots, mesal margin with heavy spinose setae; gonostylus as long as gonocoxite, slightly curved, tip rounded. Parameres separate, each with stout, strongly sclerotized, abruptly bent base directed laterad; main portion nearly straight, slender, tapering to abruptly bent, hairy tip. Aedeagus triangular; basal arms short, abruptly curved; basal arch extending to 0.25 of total length; lateral arms well sclerotized; tip slender, rounded.

Differential diagnosis. The long and slender third palpal segment with single subapical pit is diagnostic of this new species. In addition, the rounded distal pale spot in cell r 3 not occupying entire apex of cell to wing margin distinguishes C. rulfoi sp. nov. from the other species of the subgenus C. ( Culicoides ) except C. fortinensis . This new species is also similar to C. luteovenus Root & Hoffman, 1937 from the USA (Washington, California, Utah) to Panama, but the scutum of the latter species exhibits a distinct pattern of interconnected, subshining dark brown areas on its anterior and lateral portions.

Etymology. We are pleased to name this species after the Mexican writer Juan Rulfo, in recognition of his very important literary work.

Distribution. This species is encountered at high elevations, as indicated by the type and other localities ( Mexico, Michoacan, Puerto Garnica, 3060 m a.s.l.), Costa Rica (Puntarenas, Sabalito, 1020–1400 m a.s.l.) and Panama (Chiriqui, Finca La Florentina, 1742 m a.s.l.) ( Fig. 33 ).

Figures

Figs 1–4. Female wings. 1 – Culicoides fortinensis sp. nov., holotype female; 2 – C. rulfoi sp. nov., allotype female; 3 – C. pseudodecor sp. nov., allotype female; 4 – C. woodruffi sp. nov., holotype female.

Figs 9–12. Culicoides rulfoi sp. nov., allotype female. 9 – head (anterior view); 10 – flagellum; 11 – right palpus; 12 – spermathecae. Scale bars: 9 = 0.16 mm, 10–12 = 0.04 mm. Abbreviations: sbas – sensilla basiconica; scoe – sensilla coeloconica; scap – sensilla capitate; schaet – sensilla chaetica; stri – sensilla trichodea.

Figs 13–18. Culicoides rulfoi sp. nov., holotype male. 13 – dorsal portion of head (anterior view); 14 – flagellomeres 10–13; 15 – right palpus; 16 – genitalia (ventral view); 17 – parameres (ventral view); 18 – aedeagus (ventral view). Scale bars: 13 = 0.16 mm, 14, 16–18 = 0.64 mm; 15 = 0.04 mm). Abbreviations: scoe – sensilla coeloconica; scap – sensilla capitate; schaet – sensilla chaetica.

Fig. 33. Distributions of described species. Square – Culicoides fortinensis sp. nov.; circle – C. rulfoi sp. nov.; triangle – C. woodruffi sp. nov.; asterisk – C. pseudodecor sp. nov.