Bezzia (Bezzia) marylandensis, Grogan, 2020

Grogan, William L., 2020, A Revision of the Nearctic Predaceous Midges in the Bezzia (Bezzia) pulverea complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 4877 (3), pp. 429-467 : 459-460

Bezzia (Bezzia) marylandensis n. sp.

( Figs. 61–66 )

Diagnosis. The only Nearctic species of the B. pulverea complex with the following combination of characters. Males with a very long antennal flagellum (length 1.79–1.83 mm); fore femur with 8–9 ventral spines; hind femur and tibia entirely dark brown; large size (WL 2.33–2.37 mm); and gonostylus elongate with inner prong longer than outer prong. Females with large antennal ratio (AR 1.51–1.65); fore femur with 5–8 ventral spines; large size (WL 2.04–2.59 mm); spermathecae stout, elongate ovoidal, unequal-size (larger 0.22–0.25 mm long, smaller 0.14–0.16 mm long), with short narrow necks.

Male. Head ( Fig. 61 ). Brown. Eyes narrowly separated by the diameter of 2 ommatidia. Antennal flagellum brown; flagellomeres 1–2 darkest; 2–5 vasiform, 6–9 elongate vasiform, 10–13 greatly elongate, 10 longest; plume dense, brown to golden brown, extending to ¾ or more of length of flagellomere 11; AR 0.98–0.99 (n=2); flagellum very long, length 1.79–1.83 (1.81 mm, n=2). Palpus moderately long; segment 3 elongate, slender with mesocentral group of 3–6 long capitate sensillae; PR 3.70–4.20 (3.95, n=2). Mandible slender with 3–4 long apical, 2–4 smaller subapical medial teeth; most specimens with a few very short widely spaced lateral teeth. Thorax ( Fig. 62 ). Dark reddish brown. Scutum with numerous short setae, 3–4 longer anterior setae, and 9–12 long pre-alar setae; scutellum with row of 6 long setae. Fore femur light brown with slightly darker narrow basal and longer subapical bands; mid femur of similar coloration with dark basal and broad, darker brown subapical bands; hind femur dark brown; 8–9 fore, 1–2 mid, 2–3 hind ventral femoral spines. Fore tibia light brown with a poorly marked slightly darker broad central band (holotype) or a darker well-defined central band (paratype), mid tibia dark brown with broad light brown subapical band, hind tibia entirely dark brown; 3 fore, 4 mid, 3 hind large apical tibial spines. Tarsi with tarsomeres 1–3 yellowish brown, 4–5 light brown; claws as in males of B. pulverea . Wing moderately narrow; membrane slightly infuscated, darkest on costa, radial veins and proximal portion of medius, r-m crossvein, spaces between costa, radius, between proximal sections of radius, medius and broad anterior section of cell r 3 and extending near apex; posterior veins pale or hyaline but well developed; WL 2.33–2.37 (2.35 mm, n=2), WW 0.63 mm (n=2); CR 0.68 (n=2). Halter brown, apical ½ dark brown or black. Abdomen. Tergites, sternites dark brown, sternites 1–3 light brown in paratype; tergites, most sternites with dense moderately stout setae, sternites 1–3 with sparse shorter setae. Genitalia ( Fig. 63 ). Tergite 9 moderately long, broad; cerci difficult to see in holotype except their apices, they are readily visible in the paratype and are moderately short, broad, their apices extending just below apices of gonocoxites and have several long stout subapical and apical setae. Sternite 9 more elongate with deep U-shaped apicocentral excavation, the inner margins with very dense fringe of long dark brown setae; apicolateral extensions moderately to heavily sclerotized, extending to mid-length of gonocoxites, apices rounded. Gonocoxite short, very broad, outer margin greatly curved distally with several long stout apicolateral setae. Gonostylus dark brown, elongate, slightly curved distally, narrowest at mid-length, apex expanded, inner margin curved; inner prong longer than outer prong, tapered distally, tip rounded, outer prong narrower, shorter, curved with sharply pointed tip. Parameres fused; basal arms heavily sclerotized, broad, extreme apices narrow, recurved 90˚; main body broad, heavily sclerotized; distal portion more lightly sclerotized, tapered distally with apparently broadly rounded apex. Aedeagus very broad, triangular, mostly heavily sclerotized; basal arm moderately short, expanded distally, apices slightly bilobate, recurved more than 90˚; basal arch broad, moderately deep, extending 1/3 of total aedeagal length; main body more lightly sclerotized except for margins, with low, broad apicolateral extensions; apical portion short, broad, with apparently blunt apex that is enclosed in a thin hyaline envelope that extends slightly beyond the apex.

Female. Similar to male with the following notable sexual and other differences. Head. Antennal flagellum with flagellomeres 2–8 vasiform, proximal ½ brown, distal ½ pale yellowish with central whorl of long stout setae; 9–13 greatly elongate, 13 usually longest (12 longest in allotype), with basal whorl of long hyaline setae, 9–12 with numerous similar sparse setae; AR 1.51–1.65 (1.57, n=5); flagellum length 1.22–1.52 (1.33 mm, n=5). Palpus similar to males, but segment 3 more slender; PR 3.00–3.60 (3.39, n=5). Mandible broad with 8–10 large distal teeth, 2–5 smaller proximal medial teeth; 3–5 very small widely spaced lateral teeth. Thorax ( Fig. 64 ). Scutum with 5–8 large, 2–5 smaller pre-alar setae; scutellum yellowish or golden with 6–7 long stout setae. Femora, tibiae with same coloration and banding patterns as in males except proximal 1/2–2/3 of hind femur lighter brown; 5–8 fore, 1–2 mid, 2–3 hind ventral femoral spines; 2–4 fore, 2–5 mid ( Fig. 65 ), 2–3 hind large apical tibial spines; tarsi with same coloration as males, claws as in females of B. pulverea . Wing similar to males but broader with longer costa, radial cell; WL 2.04–2.59 (2.29 mm, n=5), WW 0.71–0.89 (0.79 mm, n=5); CR 0.75–0.79 (0.77, n=5). Abdomen. Coloration and surface setae similar to males. Sternite 9 halves ( Fig. 66 ) with broad apices; anterior prong slender, very long, apices narrowly separated; posterior prong short, broad, apices widely separated, not connected to bases. Spermathecae stout, unequal-size, elongate ovoidal, with short narrow necks, the larger 0.22–0.25 mm long, smaller 0.14–0.16 mm long.

Distribution. Maryland.

Etymology. The specific epithet is named after my native state, Maryland, where the entire type series was collected.

Type Material. Holotype male, MARYLAND, Wicomico Co., Salisbury, 20–28 V 1986, Wm. L. Grogan, Jr., Malaise trap; allotype female, with same data except Wango , Beech Island (Cedar Swamp), 25–31 V 1982 . Paratypes, 1 male, 4 females: 1 male with same data as holotype ; 1 female with same data as allotype except Wango , Beech Island Cedar Swamp, 24–30 VI 1982. Montgomery Co., Colesville, 1 VI 1982, W. W. Wirth, malaise trap , 1 female; same data except 3 VI 1982 , 1 female. Prince Georges Co., Patuxent Wildlife Refuge , 7 VII 1979, W. W. Wirth, light trap , 1 female.

Discussion. The type locality of this new species is located on the southern Maryland portion of the Delmarva Peninsula (Outer Coastal Plain), where both males and two females were collected with Malaise traps. However, the other three female paratypes were collected west of the Chesapeake Bay (Inner Coastal Plain). This suggests that this species also likely inhabits Delaware and Virginia and possibly other nearby mid-Atlantic states.

Figures

FIGURES 61–66. Bezzia marylandensis n. sp. Male, 61–63, Female, 64–66. 61 Head. 62 Thorax and legs. 63 Genitalia at focal level of sternite 9, parameres, aedeagus, gonocoxites and gonostyli. 64 Thorax and legs. 65 Mid tibial apical spines. 66 Abdominal segments 7–9 and spermathecae.