Dasyhelea libanensis Dominiak

Dominiak, Patrycja & Alwin, Alicja, 2013, Five new species and new records of biting midges of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer from the Near East (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 3683 (2), pp. 133-144 : 138

Dasyhelea libanensis Dominiak sp. nov.

( Figs 6–8 )

Type material. Holotype: adult male. Lebanon. Tyre, Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, N 33° 15.206 E 35°12.794, 06.V.2012, net, leg. P. Dominiak ( BMNH). Paratypes: Lebanon. Tyre, N 33° 15.535 E 35°12.726, 06.V.2012, beach, net, 4 males, leg. A. Alwin & P. Dominiak (UG). Tyre, Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, N 33° 15.206 E 35°12.794, 06.V.2012, net, 3 males, leg. P. Dominiak (LU & UG). Nahr al-Kalb, N 33° 55.842 E 35°35.326, 69 m asl, 03.V.2012, net, 1 male, leg. P. Dominiak (UG). Aarbit Kozhayya, St. Antonios Kozhayya Monaster, N 34° 17.046 E 35°56.689, 28.X.2012, shallow cave, net, 1 male, leg. P. Dominiak (UG). Fanar, N 33° 52.680 E 35°33.547, 138 m asl, 03.V.2012, net, 1 male, leg. P. Dominiak (UG).

Diagnosis. The species belongs to the fasciigera group, and differs from all other members by stout and truncated apicolateral processes of 9th tergite in male genitalia, as well as by weakly sclerotized lateral borders of aedeagus.

Description. Male. Flagellum length 0.56–0.63 mm, AR 0.81–0.92 (n=9). Distal flagellomeres bearing two rows of long setae ( Fig. 6 ). Clypeus elongate, composed of two separate sclerites, with 7–12 strong setae. Maxillary palp as in fig. 7. Third palpal segment slender, 57–67 μm long, PR III 3.80–5.58 (n=10). Thorax. Transverse suture absent, 8–10 supraalar setae present. Scutellum entirely pale or dark, with 6–7 strong and few small setae. Wing length 0.79–0.91 mm, CR 0.43–0.46 (n=11). Only one radial cell present, wing membrane covered with macrotrichia. Legs unicolored, dark, TR I 1.9–2.1 (n=9), TR II 2.3–2.5 (n=10), TR III 2.0–2.2 (n=11). Genitalia ( Fig. 8 ). Posterior margin of tergite 9 with a pair of stout, apically truncated apicolateral processes. Posterior margin of sternite 9 elongate, conical. Gonostylus composed of two parts. Outer gonostylus long and straight, with varying length of finger-like prolongation near its base. Inner gonostylus strongly curved, sharp. Parameres asymmetrical. Posterior process broadly fused to right basal arm, stout basally, with divided apex. Lateral projections of aedeagus bent in apical half, with weakly sclerotized membranous lateral borders.

Female and immatures. Unknown.

Derivation of the name. The species is named after Lebanon.

Distribution. Lebanon.

Comments. This newly described species is similar to Dasyhelea fasciigera Kieffer but differs in the shape of apicolateral processes of tergite 9, which are truncated, whereas they are rounded in the latter species. Other diagnostic characters for the new species are the shape of the lateral processes of aedeagus bearing membranous weakly chitinized lateral borders.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Dasyhelea antonii Dominiak sp. nov. (1 – 3), holotype male (3), paratype male (1, 2): 1. distal flagellomeres, 2. palpus, 3. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea avia Dominiak sp. nov. (4 – 5), holotype male (5), paratype male (4): 4. distal flagellomeres, 5. ventral view of genitalia; Dasyhelea libanensis Dominiak sp. nov. (6 – 8), holotype male (6, 8), paratype male (7): 6. distal flagellomeres, 7. palpus, 8. ventral view of genitalia.