Forcipomyia (Thyridomyia) monilicornis (Coquillett)

William L. Grogan, Jr., Hribar, Lawrence J., Murphree, C. Steven & Cilek, James E., 2010, New records of biting and predaceous midges from Florida, including species new to the fauna of the United States (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Insecta Mundi 2010 (147), pp. 1-59 : 19

Forcipomyia (Thyridomyia) monilicornis (Coquillett)

Ceratopogon monilicornis Coquillett, 1905: 63 (British Columbia). Forcipomyia (Euforcipomyia) monilicornis: Johannsen 1943: 778 (combination). Forcipomyia (Thyridomyia) monilicornis: Wirth 1952a: 145 (distribution); Dow and Wirth 1972: 183

(revision of Nearctic Thyridomyia ; distribution); Borkent and Grogan 2009: 10 (in Nearctic catalog;

distribution).

Discussion. This wide ranging Holarctic species has been recorded in North America from Alaska to Quebec, south to California and Arizona, and Maryland and Virginia. As in other subgenera of Forcipomyia that are ectoparasitic on other insect orders, adult females of F. ( Thyridomyia ) also have well developed mandibles with numerous fine teeth. And, although it is assumed that species in the subgenus Thyridomyia are also ectoparasites, their hosts are as yet unknown. However, both sexes have been frequently collected on flowers from which they obtain nectar ( Dow and Wirth 1972). We provide the first records of this tiny midge from Florida.

New records. Indian River Co., Vero Beach, Ent. Res. Cntr., March 1958, light trap, 1 female (FSCA). St. Lucie Co., (no locality given), 10 Dec. 1986, R. L. Escher, CF PETA, 1 female (FSCA). New Florida state record.