Bezzia (Homobezzia) sharjahi Alwin-Kownacka & Szadziewski, 2017

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 : 7-10

Bezzia (Homobezzia) sharjahi Alwin-Kownacka & Szadziewski sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:07610F8D-C955-4FD8-851A-395BA06AFB87

Fig. 2

Diagnosis

This new species differs from all other Middle East congeners in having the following combination of characters: thorax orange-brown with distinctly paler scutellum; legs uniformly brownish; fore femur with 6–9 ventral spines; male gonostylus long, with pointed apex; parameres long, slender, slightly curved dorsally; female with 2 subspherical seminal capsules with very long necks.

Etymology

The specific name refers to the Sharjah Desert, where most of the type series was collected.

Material examined

Holotype

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: ♂, adult, Sharjah Desert Park , 18 Jan. 2005, A. van Harten leg. ( CEIUG).

Paratypes

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 3 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, same collection data as holotype except 18–25 Jan. 2005, light trap; 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂, same collection data except 9 Mar. 2005; 1 ♀, same collection data except 30 Apr. 2005; 1 ♀, same collection data except 30 Jun. 2005; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, same collection data except 21 Jul. 2005; 1 ♀, Wadi Wurayah, light trap, 15 Jan.–22 Feb. 2009, A. van Harten leg. ( CEIUG).

YEMEN: 2 ♀♀, Al Mukalla, light trap, 1. Feb. 2003, A. van Harten leg. ( CEIUG).

Description

Male

HEAD. Uniformly pale brown. Antenna ( Fig. 2B ) pale brown; flagellar plume poorly developed; flagellomeres 2(3)–13 with paler basal halves; flagellomeres 10–13 short; total flagellum length 0.50– 0.70 mm; antennal ratio 0.50–0.70. Palpus yellow, slender; third palpal segment short, with distinct capitate sensilla; palpal ratio 2.00.

THORAX. Orange-brown; scutellum paler. Wing pale, with barely visible veins; 1 poorly marked long radial cell; wing length 0.90–1.30 mm; costal ratio 0.70–0.80. Legs uniformly pale brown, tarsi slightly paler, coxae dark brown; claws small and equal on all legs; fore femur armed with 4–8 short ventral spines; tarsal ratio of fore leg 1.60–1.90, of mid leg 1.80–2.30, of hind leg 2.10–2.20.

ABDOMEN. Orange brown.

GENITALIA ( Fig. 2 D–F). Tergite IX short, reaching apex of gonocoxite; sternite IX short. Gonocoxite short, stout; gonostylus long, narrow, distal half curved, with sharp apex. Parameres ( Fig. 2E ) fused, tongue-like, slightly curved dorsally, with blunt apex. Aedeagus ( Fig. 2F ) triangular, with low basal arch and barely visible rounded apex.

Female

HEAD. Brown. Antennal flagellum ( Fig. 2C ) with short flagellomeres, brown, proximal portions yellow; total flagellum length 0.50–0.70 mm; antennal ratio 0.80–1.10. Palpus slender, yellow; third palpal segment short, rather stout, without sensory pit; palpal ratio 2.00–2.50. Mandible with 6–8 massive distal teeth and numerous smaller proximal teeth.

THORAX. Orange brown; scutellum paler. Wing ( Fig. 2A ) venation similar to that of male; wing length 1.70–1.80 mm; costal ratio 0.80. Femoral coloration as in male; fore femur armed with 6–9 ventral spines; fore and mid tibiae with slightly dark bases, occasionally with slightly darker central areas, and dark apices; hind tibia with slightly darker base; tarsal ratio of fore leg 1.80–2.10, of mid leg 1.90–2.50, of hind leg 2.00–2.50.

ABDOMEN. Two subspherical seminal capsules ( Fig. 2G ) with long, thick necks; measuring 0.04–0.05 × 0.03–0.04 mm and 0.05–0.06 × 0.04–0.05 mm.

Distribution

United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Remarks

This new species is a typical member of the subgenus Homobezzia . It most closely resembles B. kuhetiensis , which has similar male genitalia and seminal capsules. However, B. kuhetiensis differs from B. sharjahi sp. nov. by its whitish legs with distinct, dark bands, the fore femur has only 2 ventral spines, and the parameres are straight.

Figures

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, ♀.