Bezzia Kieffer, 1899

Alwin-Kownacka, Alicja, Szadziewski, Ryszard & Szwedo, Jacek, 2017, Predatory midges of the tribes Palpomyiini and Sphaeromiini (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Middle East, with keys and descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 318, pp. 1-30 : 2-3

Genus Bezzia Kieffer, 1899

Type species

Ceratopogon ornatus Meigen, 1830 ; by original designation.

Diagnosis

Body nearly bare, with robust thorax. Wing with 1 radial cell; membrane without macrotrichia. Legs slender; fore femur with 0–12 ventral spines, mid and hind femora sometimes with ventral spines; fourth tarsomeres short, more or less cordiform; fifth tarsomeres of female without ventral batonnets; female claws simple, equal-sized, usually with small inner tooth. Female abdomen with paired internal tergal apodemes and usually 2 seminal capsules. Male genitalia with short tergite IX; parameres fused, usually rod-like but sometimes variable in shape; gonostylus well developed (de Meillon & Wirth 1991).

Key to males of subgenera of Middle East Bezzia

1. Aedeagus shield-shaped, with slender, long submedian process ( Fig. 3C ).......................................2

– Aedeagus Y-shaped, without slender, long submedian process ( Fig. 1J ).......................................3

2. Gonocoxite elongate, slender; gonostylus short, divided into 3–4 tooth-like lobes .......................... ...................................................................................................................... Pygobezzia Remm, 1974

– Gonocoxite short, stout; gonostylus long, slender, not divided into lobes ........................................ ....................................................................................................................... Sivabezzia Remm, 1974

3. Aedeagus bare; flagellomere 10 longer than 11 ( Fig. 1C ) .................................... Bezzia Kieffer, 1899

– Aedeagus covered with short, spine-like setae; flagellomere 10 shorter than 11 ( Fig. 2B ) ............. ................................................................................................................... Homobezzia Macfie, 1932

Figures

Fig. 3. Bezzia (Sivabezzia) spp. A–D. Bezzia pachypyga, ♂ (from Remm 1974). A. Genitalia, ♂. B. Parameres. C. Aedeagus. D. Seminal capsules, ♀. – E–I. Bezzia melanoflava (from Clastrier 1958). E. Genitalia, ♂. F. Parameres. G. Aedeagus, ventral view. H. Aedeagus, lateral view. I. Seminal capsules, ♀.

Fig. 1. Bezzia libanensis Alwin & Szadziewski sp. nov., ♂. A. Wing. B. Thorax. C. Antennal scape and flagellum. D. Fore leg. E. Mid leg. F. Hind leg. G. Male genitalia. H. Male genitalia, ventral view. I. Parameres. J. Aedeagus.

Fig. 2. Bezzia sharjahi Szadziewski & Alwin sp. nov. A. Wing, ♀. B. Antennal flagellum, ♂. C. Antennal flagellum, ♀. D. Genitalia, ♂. E. Parameres. F. Aedeagus. G. Seminal capsules, ♀.