Dasyhelea decoratissima (Strobl)

Dominiak, Patrycja & Szadziewski, Ryszard, 2010, Distribution and new synonymy in European biting midges of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Zootaxa 2437, pp. 1-37 : 11

Dasyhelea decoratissima (Strobl)

( Fig. 3 A–G)

Ceratopogon decoratissimus Strobl, 1910: 264 (female, Monfalcone, Rann). Dasyhelea decoratissima: Kieffer 1919: 51 (combination, in key).

Type material. Lectotype female, present designation, labeled as follows: Cer. decoratissimus m., Monfalcone, 24/7 0 9., Ƥ, Ceratopogon decoratissimus STR., Typen-Exemplar, rev. G. Morge 1959, SYNTYPUS, 302/5, 124/3. Paralectotype female (in very bad condition – flagellum, legs, almost whole thorax and abdomen missing), labeled as follows: Cer. decoratissimus m., Ƥ, Rann (?, barely visible handwriting), 3367, SYNTYPUS, 302/6, 124/3. ( NMBA).

Diagnosis. A very small pale species. The female subgenital plate is weakly sclerotized, the notum is slightly rounded, and the rami armed with two long caudomedian processes.

Male. Unknown.

Female. Flagellum ( Fig. 3 B) with proximal flagellomeres spherical. Flagellomeres 7-8 reticulated on basal portions. Distal five flagellomeres slightly elongated, reticulated. AR 0.87 (n=1). Frontal sclerite eliptical ( Fig. 3 D). Clypeus with 6–8 setae ( Fig. 3 C). Third palpal segment ( Fig. 3 E) cylindrical and relatively short, with capitate sensilla (the lectotype female also has a single sensillum on one 4th segment). PR(III) 2.18– 2.68 (n=2). Thorax nearly entirely yellow, some lateral sclerites with dark spots; scutum with four relatively short dark stripes; katepisternum and postnotum dark brown; scutellum yellow with 5–7 large setae. Wing as in Fig. 3 A, length 0.73–0.82 mm (n=2), costal ratio CR 0.45–0.50 (n=2). Tarsal ratios: TR (I) 2.28 (n=1), TR (II) 2.24 (n=1). Spermatheca ( Fig. 3 G) with short neck, length 0.045 mm, width 0.035 mm. Notum of subgenital plate slightly rounded and weakly sclerotized, rami armed with two long caudomedian processes ( Fig. 3 F).

Distribution. Italy, Slovenia.

Discussion. At the beginning of 20th century, the type localities of this species were in Austria-Hungarian Styria ( German Steiermark). At present, Monfalcone, where the lectotype was collected is in Italy, whereas Rann (now Brežice), where the female paralectotype was collected, is in Slovenia. Therefore, the type locality of D. decoratissima is Montfalcone, Italy. The species was regarded as doubtful by Remm (1988). This is probably a Mediterranean species. The biology is essentially unknown, but it has been collected in marshy meadows.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Dasyhelea decoratissima (Strobl, 1910), female: A—wing, B—antennal flagellum, C—clypeus, D—frontal sclerite, E—palpus, F—subgenital plate, G—spermatheca.