Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) anniae, Spinelli, Gustavo R., Marino, Pablo I. & Borkent, Art, 2012

Spinelli, Gustavo R., Marino, Pablo I. & Borkent, Art, 2012, A revision of Biting Midges of the Subgenera Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) and F. (Saliohelea) from Costa Rica (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 3419, pp. 1-52 : 11-13

Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) anniae n. sp.

( Figs. 24–33 , 140 )

Diagnosis. Male and female: only species of Neotropical Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) with a hind tarsal ratio of 1.00–1.09, labrum tapering apically and legs with fore and midfemora with basal, narrow subapical dark bands, hind femur with broad basal dark band, and tibiae with subbasal and apical dark bands.

Description. Male. Head. Brown. Eyes abutting medially for length of three ommatidia. Antenna ( Fig. 24 ) pale brown with plume setae poorly developed, flagellomeres 2–4 spherical, flagellomere 10 1.42–1.59 (1.50, n = 4) X longer than flagellomere 11, flagellomeres 10–13 elongate; flagellomere 13 with apical nipple slightly constricted basally; AR 0.86–0.91 (0.88, n = 4). Palpus ( Fig. 25 ) pale brown; segment 3 slightly swollen at midlength, with shallow, small sensory pit opening on swollen portion; PR (3.00–3.14 (3.10, n = 4). Labrum tapering apically ( Fig. 26 ).

Thorax. Pale except scutellum, postscutellum brown; scutellum with 6 strong setae. Legs ( Fig. 27 ) pale; fore and midfemora with basal, narrow subapical dark bands, hind femur with broad basal dark band, tibiae with subbasal, apical dark bands; apex of hind tibia with 6 spines, two farthest from spur longer; tarsomeres pale with pectinate scales; tarsomere 1 of foreleg with row of five spine-like bristles, tarsomere 1 of hind leg with patch of thick setae on basal portion; foreleg TR 1.56–1.63 (1.60, n = 4), midleg TR 0.69–0.77 (0.72, n = 4), hind leg TR 1.00–1.09 (1.02, n = 4); claws curved, moderately stout. Wing ( Fig. 28 ) plain, without pattern of pigmented membrane; M2 only visible at wing margin; first radial cell obliterated; second radial cell well developed; fork of cubitus situated slightly distad to level of apex of costa; wing length 0.62–0.70 (0.67, n = 4) mm; breadth 0.20–0.24 (0.22, n = 4) mm; CR 0.33–0.35 (0.34, n = 4). Halter whitish.

Abdomen. Tergites pale brown with brownish lateral spots. Genitalia ( Fig. 29 ): Brown. Tergite 9 short, extending to 1/3 length of gonocoxite; posterior margin truncate; cercus lobe-like, slightly produced beyond 1/2 length of gonocoxite; sternite 9 broad, posterior margin slightly concave. Gonocoxite slender, 2.2 X longer than greatest breadth; gonostylus 0.75 length of gonocoxite, nearly straight, tip pointed. Parameres absent, gonocoxal apodemes slightly curved. Aedeagus ( Fig. 30 ) stout, lateral margins sclerotized, abruptly narrowed elongate, slender, posteriorly directed prong; basal arch extending to 1/10 of total length; lateral arms extending laterally.

Female. As for male, with following differences; antenna pale brown with most flagellomeres missing in available specimens. Palpus ( Fig. 31 ) brown; segment 3 slightly swollen proximally with small, shallow sensory pit opening on swollen portion; segments 4, 5 completely fused, shorter than segment 3; PR 2.63–3.00 (2.81, n = 4). Thorax. Legs pale brown, fore and midfemora with broad basal, narrow subapical dark bands, hind femur with broad basal dark band, tibiae with subbasal, subapical dark bands; foreleg TR 1.71–1.86 (1.75, n = 4), midleg TR 0.75–0.83 (0.81, n = 4), hind leg TR 1.08–1.09 (1.09, n = 4), claws curved. Wing ( Fig. 32 ) plain, without pattern of pigmented membrane; first radial cell reduced; second radial cell narrow; fork of cubitus situated distad to level of apex of costa; wing length 0.60–0.66 (0.63, n = 4) mm; breadth 0.22–0.28 (0.25, n = 4) mm; CR 0.33–0.36 (0.35, n = 4).

Abdomen. Tergites 1–7 yellowish brown with brownish lateral spots, 8–9 entirely brown. Genital sclerotization uncertain, difficult to see. Two spermathecae ( Fig. 33 ) subspherical, lightly sclerotized, with slender, long necks, slightly unequal in size, measuring 0.036 by 0.034 mm, neck 0.008 mm, and 0.032 by 0.030 mm, neck 0.006 mm. Cercus pale brown.

Distribution. This species is known only from Costa Rica at 560–1150 meters ( Fig. 140 ).

Taxonomic discussion. Males and females were collected at the same locality and date. This species is similar to F. rivalis by virtue of its thorax pigmentation, but F. rivalis is readily distinguished by the labrum bearing a row of transverse, elongate spicules and a row of long setae on the posterior margin of male sternite 9. Characters to distinguish this species from F. atenasensis are provided in the key and in the taxonomic discussion under that species.

Forcipomyia anniae is also very similar to F. pluvialis . The male of the latter species differs by the pale basal third of the hind femur, by its variable thoracic pigmentation (pale, with patch of darker pigmentation anteriorly, more extensively partially pigmented or entirely darkly pigmented) contrasting with the unicolours pale scutum of F. anniae , and by the pale gonostylus. Characters to distinguish the females of both species may be found in the key.

Type material. Holotype male on microscope slide, labeled “ HOLOTYPE Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) anniae Spinelli, Marino and Borkent , Costa Rica, Guanacaste prov., Liberia, Guanacaste NP, Estación Cacao, 1000–1150 m, VII-1996, A. Masis, Malaise tp. LN 323150_375500 #47555, CD 5235” ( INBC). Paratypes, 3 males and 4 females as follows: same data as holotype, 2 males, 2 females (1 male, 1 female, INBC; 1 male, 1 female, CNCI). Costa Rica, Limón prov., Est. Hitoy Cerere, 560 m, 12-VII-1998, E. Rojas, CD 5077, 1 male, 2 females (1 male, 1 female, INBC; 1 female, MLPA).

Derivation of specific epithet. This species is named to honour Annia Picado, in recognition of her superb work as a parataxonomist while at the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad de Costa Rica ( INBio).

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 33. Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) anniae sp. n., 24 – 30, male, 31 – 33, female. 24 — flagellum; 25, 31 — palpus; 26 - labrum; 27 — legs (lateral view); 28, 32 — wing; 29 — genitalia (ventral view); 30 — aedeagus; 33 — spermathecae.

FIGURES 140 – 141. Distribution map of species of Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia).