Leehelea parvicapusula, 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 : 58-59

Leehelea parvicapusula sp.n.

(Fig. 4A–J)

Type material. Holotype Ƥ, India, West Bengal, Chinsurah, 22˚53’N, 88°24’E, 31 July, 1966, Coll. S.K. Das Gupta. Paratypes: 2Ƥ, data same as holotype; 2Ƥ, Chinsurah, 11 September 2004, Coll. U. Majumdar.

Etymology. The name, “ parvicapsula ” derives from Latin meaning of small size of spermathecae.

Diagnosis. The species is characterized by broadly contiguous eyes, short, proximal flagellomeres with yellowish brown base and dark, slender, sub cylindrical apex, distal flagellomeres dark brown with pale base, 9–10 capitate sensilla on palp segment III, outer margin of mandible with 10 denticules, scutellum with 15–16 long bristles, color pattern of femur and tibia, 11, 12 and 11 batonnets on fore, mid and hind legs respectively, wing pale with fine microtrichiae and lightly sclerotized, unequal, small spermathecae.

Description. Female.

Head. Dark brown. Eyes bare, broadly, dorsally contiguous. Antenna. (Fig. 4A–A1) with proximal 8 flagellomeres with, yellowish brown base (Fig.4A) and dark, slender, subcylindrical apex, distal flagellomeres (Fig.4A1) dark brown with pale base; length 1.839–1.846; AR 1.54–1.59. Maxillary palp (Fig. 4B) brown, segment III with 9–10 and segment IV with 3 capitate sensilla, V with 2 apical setae, length 0.379–0.384, PR 2.31–2.38. Mandible. (Fig. 4C) with 8 teeth, middle two larger, outer margin with 10 denticules. Thorax. Scutum brown with intensely dark caudal and lateral areas, scutellum dark brown with 15–16 long bristles, post-scutellum and pleuron brown. Legs. (Figs. 4D–F). Coxae and trochanter yellow; fore femur with dark brown broad subapical bands and narrow dark apices and with 11 ventral stout setae, fore tibiae pale with very narrow dark bases, tarsomere IV yellowish brown at apical half and tarsomere V with little infuscate tip and 11 (10–12) batonnets, length ratio of fore leg 33: 33: 13: 8.5: 4: 2.5: 6; mid femur yellow with dark brown narrow subapical band and dark apex and with 12 stout ventral setae, tibiae with dark brown bases, tarsomere I with 2–4 median and 1–2 apical setae, tarsomere V with 12 (12–13) batonnets, length ratio of mid leg 35: 25: 11: 4.5: 3: 2: 5; hind femora yellow with dark brown broad subapical bands and narrow dark apices, femur with 11 stout setae, tibiae with dark brown broad middle band, tarsomere V with 11 batonnets, length ratio of hind leg 38.5: 29: 17: 7: 3: 2: 5, TR of hind leg 2.43, hind tibial comb (Fig. 4G) with 11 long spines; claws of all legs long, simple, almost as long as tarsomere V. Wing. (Fig. 4H) Length 3.28–3.35 (n=5), breadth 0.98–1.15 (n=5). Pale, with fine microtrichiae, anterior veins light brown, costal length 3.12 (2.8–3.2, n=5), 2nd radial cell 3.32 length of 1st, R2+3 distinct. CR 0.94–0.96 (n=5). Halter pale yellow.

FIGURES. 4A–I. Leehelea parvicapsula sp.n.: Female: A–A1: antenna: A. proximal flagellomeres, A1. distal flagellomeres, B: maxillary palp, C: mandible, D–F: fore, mid and hind femur with tibiae, G: hind tibial comb, H: wing, I: spermathecae.

Abdomen. Tergites uniformly dark brown, distal tergites with many setae, segment VIII with tuft of 2–3 dorsal caudo-lateral setae, lateral margins darker, pleural membrane and cerci brown. Spermathecae (Fig. 4I) lightly sclerotized, unequal, small, rudimentary third present.

Male. Unknown.

Discussion. The species bears affinities with L. hispida Debenham in dark brown color, scutum with numerous setae, brown fore tibia and brown abdomen. In pale wing with fine microtrichiae and anterior veins, the new species shows similarity with L. wasseli Debenham. Similarly , L. leucopheaeta Debenham seems closer to the new species in dark brown palpal segments, color of flagellomeres, pale yellow halter and brown abdomen. But the following combination of characters like: structure of flagellomeres, long palp segment III with 9–10 and segment IV with 3 capitate sensilla, outer margin of mandible with 10 denticules, 15–16 scutellar bristles, yellowish brown color pattern of femur and tibia, hind tibial comb usually with 11 long spines, pale wing with brown anterior wing veins, 2nd radial cell nearly 3.32 length of 1st one, uniformly brown abdomen and small, lightly sclerotized, unequal spermathecae favor for its consideration as a new member of the genus.