Bezzia (Bezzia) trujilloi, Huerta & Spinelli & Grogan Jr, 2023

Huerta, Herón, Spinelli, Gustavo R. & Grogan Jr, William L., 2023, New records of predaceous midges in Bezzia Kieffer and Phaenobezzia Haeselbarth from Mexico with description of two new species of Bezzia (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 5323 (4), pp. 535-552 : 540-542

Bezzia (Bezzia) trujilloi sp. nov.

( Figs. 2A–J )

Diagnosis. The only species in the gibbera species group with the following combination of characters: scutal vestiture with setae arising from raised tubercles; 4 large stout prealar setae arising from raised tubercles; fore and mid femora and fore and mid tibiae brown with subapical narrow pale rings; hind femur and tibia dark brown; male sternite 9 with deep, rounded, caudo-median excavation; aedeagus with a pair of membranous lateral lobes on medial portion; parameres with anterolateral plates rounded, distal portion elongate, tip pointed. Female unknown.

Head ( Fig. 2A ). Dark brown, wider than long. Eyes separated by diameter of three ommatidia. Antennal flagellum with proximal 1/3 of flagellomeres 3–13 pale yellow, distal 2/3 darker brown; flagellomeres 2–8 short, vasiform, 9–13 elongated; 10 twice as long as 11; antennal ratio (AR) 1.10; length 1.0 mm. Palpus brown; segment 3 slender, elongate with capitate sensilla, palpal ratio (PR) 2.5; segment 5 slightly stout.

Thorax. Dark brown. Scutum densely covered with setae arising from raised tubercles, without anterior tubercle, with 4 elongated stout prealar setae arising from raised tubercles ( Fig. 2C ); scutellum dark brown, with 4 stout setae (two mesal, two lateral) arising from raised tubercles. Pleura covered with minute setae; anepisternum setose. Legs ( Fig. 2D–F ): fore and mid femora and fore and mid tibiae brown with subapical, narrow pale bands; hind femur and tibia dark brown; tarsomeres of all legs pale brown; tarsomeres 1 of mid leg and 1–3 of hind legs with row of ventral palisade setae; tarsomeres 5 without ventrolateral setae; claws small, equal size on all legs, slightly curved with basal inner teeth. Wing ( Fig. 2B ) length 1.42 mm, width 0.40 mm; costal ratio 0.64; membrane pale, anterior veins brown; vein M barely sessile. Halter dark brown.

Abdomen. Tergites dark brown, sternites lightly sclerotized. Genitalia ( Fig. 2G–J ). Tergite 9 short with subapical row of setae; sternite 9 short with very deep, rounded, caudomedian excavation. Gonocoxite stout, globose, 1.3X longer than greatest breadth, with short mesally directed setae. Gonostylus slightly shorter than gonocoxite, curved, with pointed apex. Parameres triangular, long, produced beyond apex of gonocoxite; anterolateral plates heavily sclerotized, rounded, distal portion elongate, tip pointed. Aedeagus triangular, basal arch low; basal arms slender, bilobed, heavily sclerotized anteriorly; median portion with a pair of membranous lateral lobes; distal portion membranous, rounded. Cerci setose, long, extending beyond midportion of gonocoxite.

Female. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE. Male. MEXICO, Veracruz, Teocelo, Texin , cafetal, 2-sep-2008, CDC trap, CAIM.

Distribution. Neotropical. Mexico, Veracruz ( Fig. 6 ).

Etymology. This new species is dedicated in memory to Dr. Rafael Trujillo López. He was a great friend of the senior author, shared many life lessons that are deeply appreciated.

Discussion. Bezzia trujilloi is related to Bezzia gibbera . Characters distinguishing both species are included in the key. This new species is similar to the primarily Nearctic species Bezzia bivittata (Coquillett) , which also ranges south to Panama, as well as two Neotropical species: Bezzia globulosa Spinelli & Wirth from Puerto Rico and Bezzia jubata Spinelli & Wirth from Colombia, which the same pattern of pale bands on the fore and middle legs. However, the hind femur with subapical pale band is present in B. bivittata and B. jubata , B. globulosa and trujilloi without pale subapical band. The male genitalia differ in sternite 9 with a deep caudo-median excavation in B. trujilloi and B. globulosa , while in B. bivittata and B. jubata with slight excavation. The parameres with anterolateral plates rounded and lateral portion pointed tip only present in B. trujilloi , in B. bivittata , B. globulosa and B. jubata an irregular shape. In addition, the aedeagus of B. trujilloi with lateral membranous-like lobes in median section, absent in the other species. Another similar species is Bezzia grogani Spinelli & Wirth from Colombia, Mexico and Panama, which has a distinctive setose, dorsomesal lobe on the gonocoxite, which is absent in B. trujilloi .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Bezzia (Bezzia) trujilloi sp. nov. (male). A. Head, frontal view; B. Wing, lateral view; C. Pre-alar setae; D. Fore leg, lateral view; E. Mid leg, lateral view; F. Hind leg, lateral view; G–H. Genitalia, ventral view; I. Aedeagus, ventral view; J. Paramere, ventral view. Scale bars: A, C, H, I, J= 0.1 mm; B, D, E, F= 0.5 mm; G=0.064 mm.

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Bezzia (Bezzia) trujilloi sp. nov. (red triangle) and Bezzia (Homobezzia) breidenbaughi sp. nov. (black square).