Parabezzia brasiliensis Spinelli & Grogan

Ayala, Mahia M., Spinelli, Gustavo R., Funes, Amparo & Ronderos, María M., 2015, Additional notes on biting midges from the subtropical forest of northeastern Argentina (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 3941 (1), pp. 79-90 : 85-89

Parabezzia brasiliensis Spinelli & Grogan

( Figs. 22–42 )

Parabezzia brasiliensis Spinelli & Grogan, 1987: 34 (female; Brazil); Borkent & Wirth, 1997: 104 (in World catalogue); Borkent & Spinelli, 2000: 51 (in catalogue south of USA); Borkent & Spinelli, 2007: 84 (in Neotropical catalogue); Borkent, 2015: 131 (in online World catalogue).

Male adult ( Figs. 22–27 , 38–39 ). Head ( Fig. 22 ) dark brown. Eyes separated by diameter of 6 ommatidia, without interommatidial spicules. Antenna ( Fig. 23 ) with flagellomeres 1–10 brown, 11–13 slightly darker, plume welldeveloped, flagellomeres 2–8 fused, 1–9 short, 11–13 elongate. Palpus ( Fig. 22 ) brown, with 4 segments; third segment slender, elongate, subequal to apical segment. Thorax ( Figs. 24, 25 ) uniformly dark brown. Scutum with numerous, moderately elongate, erect setae; scutellum with 6 setae, the two mesal the longest. Pleura without setae. Legs ( Fig. 25 ) with femora and tibiae uniformly dark brown, tarsi paler except tarsomeres 5 infuscated; fore, midcoxae with abundant spine-like setae; hindtibial spur short; hindtibial comb with 8 spines, third from spur longest; tarsomeres 1of hindleg with dense palisade setae; prothoracic TR 2.40, mesothoracic TR 2.67, metathoracic TR 2.14; tarsomeres 5 elongate; claws equal, small, nearly straight, bifid at tip. Wing ( Fig. 26 ) length 0.96 mm; width 0.30 mm; CR 0.57; membrane very slightly infuscated; radial cell obliterated, venation as figured; costa with 5 setae, 2 near but distal to basal arculus, other 3 on its distal 1/4. Halter pale brown. Abdomen uniformly brown. Genitalia ( Fig. 27 ): tergite 9 broad, subquadrangular, extending just anterior to level of apex of gonocoxite; posterior margin broad, nearly straight with broad posteromedian notch, circus stout, rounded; sternite 9 with anterior margin straight, 0.42 length of breadth, with broad, shallow posteromedian excavation. Gonocoxite short, as long as greatest (mesal) width, with short, pointed mesal process; gonostylus slender, 1.3 X longer than gonocoxite, slightly curved with pointed tip. Parameres ( Fig. 38 ) fused, heavily sclerotized, base straight base; distal portion lightly sclerotized, slender, nearly straight with blunt tip; gonocoxal apodemes heavily sclerotized, slender, each with short process directed anterolaterally. Aedeagus ( Fig. 39 ) triangular, 1.6 X longer than greatest (basal) width; basal arch extending 0.1 of total length; proximal 3/4 heavily sclerotized; distal portion about ¼ of total length, lightly sclerotized, with blunt tip.

Male pupa ( Figs. 28–34, 36 , 40–42 ). Exuviae general coloration pale brown, body surface with small rounded tubercles and spinules. Total length 1.76 mm. Flagellum appressed against lateral margin of face, midleg and wing ( Fig. 28 ). Dorsal apotome ( Fig. 29 ) without ventral line of weakness, dorsomedial tubercle and central dome, with anterior margin quadrangular, posterior margin broken, disc surface covered by few rounded tubercles and longitudinal wrinkles on anterior portion, lateral margins with broad raised areas with flattened tubercle at base, bearing 2 dorsal apotome sensilla ( Fig. 29 ) as follows: DA-1-H short seta, DA-2-H campaniform sensillum at tubercle base; DAL 0.09 mm, DAW 0.19 mm, DAW/DAL 5.56. Cephalothorax rectangular ( Fig. 28 ), narrowed posterioly, length 0.95 mm, width 0.67 mm; mesonotum covered with few moderately-sized tubercles; prothoracic extension wide (0.16 mm) ( Fig. 40 ), well developed, extending from palpus to antenna; mouthparts ( Fig. 40 ) with mandible well developed, lacinia absent, palpus extending posteriorly to posterolateral margin of labium; labium entire. Cephalothoracic sensilla as follows: anteriomedials ( Fig. 31 ) AM-1-T very short seta, AM-2-T campaniform sensillum on small tubercle, 2 dorsolateral cephalics sclerites ( Fig. 30 ): DL-1-H very short seta, DL- 2-H campaniform sensillum; one anterolateral ( Fig. 31 ): AL-1-T minute seta; clypeal labral sensillum ( Figs. 33 , 40 ): CL-1-H minute seta; ocular ( Figs. 33 , 40 ): O-2-H campaniform sensillum; 3 dorsal setae ( Fig. 32 ): D-1-T, D- 2-T peg-like setae, D-3-T campaniform sensillum, D-2-T, D-3-T on closely approximate tubercles, SA-2-T present ( Fig. 32 ). Respiratory organ ( Figs. 28, 31 ) short, squat, 5-6 apical closely abutting pores arranged in single row, outer surface with wrinkles, membranous base of respiratory organ short, tracheal tube straight, with annulations to half length; pedicel ( Fig. 31 ) short, wide, P length: 0.0025 mm, RO length 0.075 mm, RO wide 0.04 mm; P/RO 0.033. Metathoracics ( Fig. 41 ): 2 campaniform sensilla (M-2-T, M-3-T), M-3-T near anterior margin. Abdominal segments with 2 spots laterally on segment 2-7, segment 2 (0.55 mm) wider than segment 3 (0.45 mm). First abdominal segment ( Fig. 41 ) with 7 setae: D- 2-I very short, D- 3-I absent, D- 4-I, D- 7-I campaniform sensilla, D- 5- I, D- 9-I minute setae, D- 8-I peg, L- 1-I very short seta. Fourth segment ( Fig. 42 ) with sensillar pattern as follows: dorsal tubercles with small base: D- 1-IV, D- 3-IV absent, D- 2-IV very short seta, D- 4-IV, D- 7-IV campaniform sensilla, D- 5-IV, D- 8-IV, D- 9-IV minute setae, V- 5-IV, V- 6-IV without visible setae, on notorious tubercles; L- 1-IV absent, L- 2-IV, L- 3-IV short, stout setae, on triangular pointed tubercles. Segment 9 ( Fig. 36 ) approximately 1.83 X longer than greatest width, length 0.275 mm, width 0.15 mm; posteriorly directed spicules restricted dorsally to mesal area, terminal processes triangular, these moderately elongated, subparallel, pointed; ventral surface of processes spiculated, terminal procceses length 0.125 mm, width 0.05 mm, D- 5-IX, D- 6-IX campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 36 ), genital lobe moderately long and globose, extending under posterior margin.

Female pupa ( Figs. 35, 37 ). Similar to male with usual sexual differences: CTL 0.90 mm. First abdominal segment ( Fig. 35 ) with setae: D- 2-I minute seta, D- 7-I and L- 1-I not in position to describe, D- 5-I very short seta, D- 9-I minute seta on flattened tubercle, D- 8-I very short seta. Segment 9 ( Fig. 37 ) length 0.325 mm, width 0.175 mm; terminal processes length 0.125 mm, width 0.05 mm.

Distribution. Brazil (Mato Grosso), Argentina (Misiones).

Taxonomic discussion. Parabezzia brasiliensis is one of the 25 species inhabiting the Neotropical region. Of these, only are known the pupae of P. alexanderi Wirth and P. balseiroi Spinelli & Grogan. Fourteen species, including P. brasiliensis , are known only from female adults.

There are two quite different types of pupae in Parabezzia . One has number of rounded tubercles, the other called alexanderi group, has sharp tubercles and abdominal sternites with membranous discs ( Borkent, 2014). Parabezzia brasiliensis perfectly fits in the alexanderi group and is very similar to P. b al s ei roi, but in the latter species the DAW/DAL ratio is lower (2.26 for male, 3.60 for female), the DA-1-H is a minute seta on well developed tubercle, and the respiratory organ bears 10–12 apical opening pores.

The adult male of P. brasiliensis is easily distinguished from their congeners inhabiting the Americas by the obliterated radial cell and by the costal fringe limited to 5 setae. The aedeagus is very similar to the one illustrated by Grogan & Wirth (1977, page 73) for the Nearctic species P. inermis (Coquillett) , but in the latter the radial cell is open, the costal fringe is complete and the parameres are apparently absent.

Pupae of this specie was collected associated with pupae of Bezzia blantoni Spinelli & Wirth and and Bezzia brevicornis (Kieffer) .

Specimens examined. Argentina, Misiones Prov., Posadas, Miguel Lanús, área de Recursos Ambientales El Zaimán, 27° 26' 11.6'' S, 55° 53' 48.7'' W, 28-III-2014, M. Ayala, 1 male, 1 female (with pupal exuviae).

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 27. Parabezzia brasiliensis, male adult. 22, head, in anterior view; 23, flagellum; 24, thorax; 25, legs; 26, wing; 27, genitalia (ventral view). Scale bars: 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 28 – 37. Parabezzia brasiliensis, 28 – 36, male pupa, 35, 37, female pupa. 28, entire pupa; 29, dorsal apotome and dorsal apotome sensilla (DA-H); 31, respiratory organ (RO) and anterolateral sensilla (AL-T); 31, anteromedial sensillum (AM-T); 32, dorsolateral cephalic sclerite sensilla (DL-H); 33, clypeal / labral sensillum (CL) and ocular sensillum (O), details of mouthparts; 34, second and third abdominal segments; 35, metathorax and first abdominal segment chaetotaxy (dorsal and ventral views); 36, segment 9 (ventral view), genital lobe (GL), terminal processes (TP), D- 5 - IX-D- 6 - IX (campaniform sensilla); 37, segment, 9. Scale bars: 0.05 mm

FIGURES 38 – 42. Parabezzia brasiliensis, 38 – 39, male adult; 40 – 42, male pupa. 38, parameres; 39, aedeagus; 40, clypeal / labral sensillum (CL) and ocular sensillum (O), details of mouthparts; 41, metathorax chaetotaxy (M-T) and first abdominal segment chaetotaxy (dorsal view); 42, fourth abdominal segment chaetotaxy (dorsal and ventral views), with detail of setae and tubercles. Scale bars 0.05 mm.