Culicoides parauapebensis, Trindade, Rosimeire Lopes Da & Felippe-Bauer, Maria Luiza, 2011

Trindade, Rosimeire Lopes Da & Felippe-Bauer, Maria Luiza, 2011, Culicoides parauapebensis, a new species of the subgenus Hoffmania Fox from northern Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 2999, pp. 42-44 : 42-44

Culicoides parauapebensis sp. nov.

Figs. 1–6

Diagnosis. Only species of the guttatus species group with the following combination of characters: medium-size, eyes contiguous by distance equal to diameter of two ommatidia, capitate sensilla distributed in a open and irregular sensory area on distal half or distal 1/3 of palpal segment 3, fore- and mid knees pale, M1 and CuA1 pale to apex, m1 with two distal pale spots, halter deeply infuscated.

Female. Head. Brown. Eyes ( Fig. 4 ) contiguous by distance equal to diameter of two ommatidia. Flagellum ( Fig. 2 ) pale brown; antennal ratio 1.00–1.09 (1.05, n=11); sensilla coeloconica on flagellomeres 1, 9–13, three on 1, one on 9– 12, two on 13. Palpus ( Fig. 3 ) brown; segment 3 moderately stout, capitate sensilla distributed on distal half or distal 1/3, forming a open, irregular sensory area; palpal ratio 2.0–2.6 (2.3 n =11). Proboscis moderately long; P/H ratio 0.68– 0.75(0.70, n=11); mandible with 15 (n=3) teeth.

Thorax: Brown. Scutum with pair of dark brown sublateral vittae and pair of posterior ovoid dark brown spots; scutellum yellowish on sides; postscutelum brown. Wing ( Fig. 1 ) with contrasting pattern; r-m pale; R3 pale, slightly infuscate anteriorly; transverse distal pale spot in r3 reaching wing margin; two distal pale spots in m1 (the most distal faint or absent in two specimens); distal pale spot in m2 reaching wing margin; pale spot in cua1 not connected with the pale line bordering CuA1; M1, CuA1 pale to apex; apex of M2 pale; CuA2 pale except dark apex; macrotrichia, scarse on distal half of the wing and on distal portion of anal cell; wing length 0.84–1.05 (0.97, n= 11) mm; breadth 0.40–0.49 (0.46, n=11) mm; costal ratio 0.64–0.66 (0.65, n=11). Halter brown. Legs mostly brown; apices of fore-, midfemur pale, bases of tibiae pale; apical 1/5 of hind tibia pale ( Fig. 6 ).

Abdomen: Brown. Two subspherical, subequal spermathecae (three on two specimens) with very short necks ( Fig. 5 ), measuring 39 by 33 µm and 36 by 31 µm (n=8); rudimentary 3rd generally absent (two specimens with a small one), sclerotized ring present.

Male: unknown.

Distribution and bionomics. C. parauapebensis is known only from farm area in northern Brazilian state of Pará.

Types. Holotype female, Fazenda Bocaina, Parauapebas , Pará, BRASIL, 27–28.V.2007, CDC light trap, Gilberto, Jarilson & Paulo col. (MPEG). Paratypes, 89 females as follows: same data as holotype, 83 females (MPEG; #464-467 CCER); same data except 28–29.V.2007, 2 females (MPEG); same data except Nunes, Pereira e Marcos col., 1 female (MPEG); same data except Fazenda Guilherme, 29–30.V.2007, Chicão, Guilherme & Nonato col., 2 females (MPEG); Sede Municipal, São Geraldo do Araguaia (6o23'52.67''S 48o32' 57.10''W), Pará, BRASIL, 21–22.I.2006, CDC light trap, Trindade & Guimarães col., 1 female (MPEG).

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality.

Taxonomic discussion. Culicoides parauapebensis is a medium-sized species in the subgenus Hoffmania Fox. In the key to the Neotropical bloodsucking midges of the Culicoides (Hoffmania) guttatus group by Spinelli et al. (1993), C. parauapebensis key out to couplet 14 and can be distinguished from C. filariferus Hoffman and C. ocumarensis Ortiz by the pale apices of CuA1 (CuA1 dark in C. filariferus and in C. ocumarensis ), smaller palpal ratio 2.0–2.6 (2.9–3.7 in C. filariferus , 3.2–3.8 in C. ocumarensis ) and P/H ratio 0.68–0.75 (0.95–1.12 in C. filariferus , 0.95–1.03 in C. ocumarensis ). The new species also has similarities with C. batesi Wirth & Blanton and C. lutzi Costa Lima especially by the meristic data as palpal ratio, P/H ratio, antennal ratio and wing length. It can be distinguished from these species by the apical pale band in fore femur (fore femur uniformly brown in C. batesi and C. lutzi ), by the capitate sensilla on palpus forming a open, irregular sensory area on distal half or distal 1/3 of the segment 3 (capitate sensilla forming an irregular pit in middle of segment 3 in C. batesi and C. lutzi ), by the M1 and CuA1 entirely pale (M1 only pale on apical portion and apex of CuA1 dark in C. batesi ), by the presence of two distal pale spots on m1 (m1 with one distal pale spot in C. lutzi ), by the dark halter (pale halter in C. lutzi ). Also, several species of Culicoides (Hoffmania) guttatus group, including C. batesi and C. filariferus are known from Amazon region associates to forest ecosystem, while C. parauapebensis was collected in farm area. The species discussed here are known from Para state.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Wing photograph of female of Culicoides parauapebensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 2 – 6. Culicoides parauapebensis sp. nov., female. 2. Flagellomeres; 3. Palpus; 4. Dorsal portion of head capsule, in anterior view, showing eye separation; 5. Spermathecae, sclerotized ring present; 6. Femora and tibiae (left to right) of fore-, mid- and hindlegs.