Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) oedemerarum Storå, 1939 : 16

Tóthová, Andrea, 2008, First record of the ectoparasitic biting midge, Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) oedemerarum Storå from the Neotropical region (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 1746, pp. 65-67 : 66

Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) oedemerarum Storå, 1939: 16 . (Type locality: N. Lojo, Kaikuma, Finland).

Diagnosis: Male adult: only extant species of Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) in the Holarctic and Neotropical regions, with an aedeagus bearing a pointed, triangular caudomedian process.

Description: Male adult: Body brown, scutellum brown, legs ( Fig. 1 ) lighter brown, empodia present. Head width/ mouthpart length 1.92, antennal ratio 0.9. Ommatidia without interfacetal pubescence ( Fig. 2 ). Antenna dark brown with 13 separate flagellomeres, proportions as in Fig. 2 , apex of flagellomere 13 with slender nipple. Maxillary palpus ( Fig. 2 ) brown, third segment slender and elongated with small sensory pit at midportion, palpal ratio 3.4. Wing ( Fig. 3 ) length 1.5 mm, costal ratio 0.66, wing membrane with macrotrichia in distal portion of cell r3 and dorsoapical portion of cell m1. Genitalia as in Fig. 4 . Of moderate size, segment 9 about equal in width to segment 8, tergit 9 short, not extending to apex of gonocoxite; posterior margin rounded. Sternit 9 with posterior margin slightly concave, with scattered setae. Gonocoxite without medial lobe. Gonostylus tapering from base, gently curved, apex pointed. Aedeagal-parameral complex unique within subgenus, with well shaped triangular, distinctly pointed apicomedian process, gonocoxite length/ width 2.3. Cercus short, lobe-like and ventral to tergite 9.

Distribution and bionomics: Atrichopogon (M.) oedemerarum is broadly distributed across 12 countries of Europe ( Andorra, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland) ( Szadziewski & Borkent 2004) and North America (New Brunswick, Ontario, Virginia, West Virginia) ( Wirth 1980). This species is likely restricted to higher forest zones in the Neotropical Region that contain moist, cool habitats that are similar those in the Holarctic Region.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Male specimen of Atrichopogon (M.) oedemerarum from Guatemala. 1 - thorax, 2 - head, 3 - wing, 4 - hypopygium, aeaedeagus, part of aedeagal-parameral complex.