Culicoides aterinervis Tokunaga

Sarkar, Ankita, Banerjee, Paramita, Sinha, Shuvra Kanti & Mazumdar, Abhijit, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the Indian species of the ‘ Aterinervis’ group of Culicoides Latreille Subgenus Hoffmania Fox (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 5258 (4), pp. 405-428 : 408-410

Culicoides aterinervis Tokunaga

( Fig. 2a–g )

Culicoides aterinervis Tokunaga 1937: 312–315 ; Arnaud 1956: 95–96; Kitaoka 1980: 20; Yu et al. 2005: 995–996

Diagnosis (Modified after Tokunaga 1937; Arnaud 1956; Kitaoka 1980 and Yu et al. 2005). Pale spot over r-m crossvein continuing as long pale streak parallel to vein M 1; narrow, long pale streak along full length of cell m 2; broad dark spots between pale area of anal angle and distal pale spots in anal cell.

Female.

Head ( Figs. 2a and 2b ). Eyes bare, contiguous for 2 facets. Antenna with SCo on flagellomeres 1, 9–13; third palpal segment long, slender, swollen medially, gradually tapering towards apex without sensory pit, numerous scattered capitate sensilla; mandible with 14 teeth.

Thorax. Brown scutum. Postscutellum, scutellum dark brown.

Legs ( Fig. 2c ). Brown; fore femora with apical bands, mid femora with basal, apical pale bands, fore and mid tibiae with basal pale bands, hind femora with basal pale bands, hind tibiae distinctly pale on both ends; hind tibial comb with 5–6 spines, second one longest.

Wing ( Fig. 2d ). Base of wing including anal corner pale; pale spot over r-m cross vein narrow, extending over proximal half of cell r 1, crossing vein M; 1 st and 2 nd radial cells unequal; poststigmatic pale spot broadly covering 2 nd radial cell, tapering posteriorly to end before vein M 1; pale spot in cell r 3 not reaching wing margin; proximal pale spots of cells m 1 and m 2 confluent; distal pale spot in cell m 1 elongate, not reaching wing margin; distal pale spot in cell m 2 broadly meeting wing margin; narrow, long pale streak along the full length of cell m 2; distal pale spot in cell cua 1 extending to wing margin, separated from vein CuA 1, pale spot present anterior to base of Cu fork; anal cell with elongate distal pale spot. Macrotrichia few on distal wing blade.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2e ). Brownish; two spherical spermathecae, brown, with short necks; third spermatheca tubular, rudimentary, small sclerotized ring present.

Male.

Genitalia ( Figs. 2f and 2g ). Caudomedian excavation shallow, U shaped. Tergum IX without apicolateral processes, posterior margin of tergum IX ending before the apex of the gonocoxite; gonocoxite with well developed dorsal root; gonostylus elongate, medially curved with blunt tip. Aedeagus V shaped with small, bent basal arms, stem broad in basal half, tapering to rounded apex. Parameres separated with stout basal arms, stem broad basally, short, slender distally with minute fringing setae.

Immatures. Unknown

Larval habitat. Unknown

Distribution. Japan, China

Remarks. C. aterinervis possessing characters of subgenus Hoffmania ( Wirth & Hubert 1989) viz., eyes bare, contiguous; SCo on flagellomeres 1, 9–13; second hind tibial spine long; wing with 1 st and 2 nd radial cell unequal; 2 nd radial cell long, broad, at least distal half included in poststigmatic pale spot, proximal pale spots in cell m 1 and m 2 confluent; spermathecae two, ovoid with neck, third one rudimentary, a sclerotized ring present; male genitalia rounded without apicolateral processes; gonostylus usually with rounded, blunt tip; gonocoxite with dorsal root; aedeagus usually with basal arch low and the anterior margin often with sclerotized rim, distal process slender, usually with internal sclerotized peg at base; parameres separated with short basal arm, short, slender distally with minute fringing setae. So, it can be stated that this species belong to Hoffmania rather than Culicoides and transferred this species to subgenus Hoffmania .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Culicoides aterinervis. a) head; b) third palpal segment; c) hind tibial spines; d) wing; e) spermatheca; f) male genitalia and g) paramere