Leehelea magnidentata, Nandi, Mou, Mazumdar, Abhijit & Chaudhuri, Prasanta K., 2012

Nandi, Mou, Mazumdar, Abhijit & Chaudhuri, Prasanta K., 2012, Biting midges of the genus Leehelea Debenham (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in India, Zootaxa 3399, pp. 53-60 : 57-58

Leehelea magnidentata sp.n.

(Fig. 3A–J)

Type material. Holotype Ƥ, Habra, 1 November 1967, Coll. B.C. Mazumdar, Paratypes: 2Ƥ, data same as holotype; 1Ƥ, Habra, 12 October, 2004, Coll. U. Majumdar.

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin words magni, meaning large and dentat, meaning toothed and refers to the large teeth of the mandible.

Diagnosis. The species is recognized by its large body, 14–15 capitate sensilla on palp segment III, outer margin of mandible with 11 large and small denticules, color bands of femur and tibia, 11, 9 and 9 batonnets of fore, mid and hind tarsomeres respectively, hind tibiae with broad dark band at the middle, hind tibial comb with 10 spines and wing pale with indistinct microtrichiae.

FIGURES. 3A–J. Leehelea magnidentata sp.n.: Female: A–A1: antenna: A. proximal flagellomeres with pedicel, A1. distal flagellomeres, B: maxillary palp, C: mandible, D–F: fore, mid and hind femur with tibiae, G: hind tibial comb, H: hind tarsomere V with claws, I: wing, J: spermathecae.

Description. Female.

Head. Dark brown in color. Eyes bare. Antennae. (Figs. 3A–A1) annulated, basal half of first 8 flagellomeres (Fig.3A) yellowish brown and slender, distal 5 flagellomeres (Fig. 3A1) dark brown with pale base, length 2.050–2.054, AR 1.79–1.95 (n=4). Maxillary palp. (Fig. 3B) brown, segment III long with narrow base bearing 14–15 capitate sensilla, segment V short, with 4 long apical setae, length 0.318–0.328, PR 2.80–2.87 (n=4). Mandible. (Fig. 3C) with 6 large distinct teeth, apical two smaller and outer margin with 11 denticules.

Thorax. Scutum brown, with dark brown caudal and lateral margin; scutellum dark brown with 18 bristles; postscutellum and pleuron brown. Legs. (Figs. 3D–F) Coxae brown; trochanter pale; fore femur yellow at the base with a broad, dark brown middle band and dark brown apex, fore femur with 12 (12–13) long erect setae, tibiae yellow with dark brown bases, fore tarsomere longer, tarsomere IV yellow and short, tarsomere V infuscated with 11(10–11, n=4) batonnets, length ratio of leg 35.5: 35: 15: 8: 4: 3: 6; mid femur with a dark brown, subapical band and dark brown apex, with 16 erect ventral setae, tibiae with same color pattern as fore, mid tarsomere I with 1–2 median and 2 apical setae, tarsomere V with 9 (9–10), length ratio of mid leg 37: 27: 11.5: 5: 3: 2: 5; hind femur stout with yellow base, dark brown broad, subapical middle band and narrow, dark brown apex, with 13 (13–14, n=4) stout ventral setae, tibiae with brown base and narrow, dark brown subapical band and pale apex, tarsomere V with 9 (8–9) batonnets, length ratio of hind leg 39: 31: 18: 7: 3: 2: 5, TR of hind leg 2.37–2.57 (n=4), hind tibial comb (Fig. 3G) with 10 spines. Claws of all legs simple, equal, almost as long as tarsomere V (Fig. 3H). Wing. (Fig. 3I). Length 3.35–3.65 (n=4), breadth 1–1.05 (n=4). Pale, with fine and indistinct microtrichiae, veins r–m and M brown, costal length 3.15–3.45 (n=4), 2nd radial cell 3.0 times length of 1st, R2+3 distinct, CR 0.94–0.95 (n=4). Halter pale.

Abdomen. Tergites chocolate colored with dark lateral margin, setae scattered, sparse, segment VIII with a tuft of caudolateral setae, pleural membrane pale and cerci brown. Spermathecae. (Fig. 3J) highly sclerotized, rounded, rudimentary third present.

Male. Unknown.

Discussion. .This new species shows similarity with L. parvicapsula sp.n. in number of spines on hind tibial comb but differs in dark narrow band on hind tibiae. The species resembles L. hollandiensis Tokunaga in pale palp segments, color of basal and distal flagellomeres, scutum with dark brown caudolateral and lateral areas, pale wing membrane and brown anterior veins. Scutellar bristles and brown abdominal tergites with dark laterad of L. wasseli Debenham look like those of the present species. The following combination of characters: pale trochanter, color pattern of femur and tibia, structure and 14–15 capitate sensilla of palp segment III, mandible with 6 large teeth and with 11 large and small denticules, scutum brown with dark lateral margin, color bands of femur and tibia, hind tibial comb with 10 spines, wing with indistinct microtrichiae, 2nd radial cell nearly 3.0 times length of first radial cell and pale halter consider it as a new Indian species of the genus.