Culicoides (S.) tropicalis Kieffer, 1913

Pielowska-Ceranowska, Agata & Szwedo, Jacek, 2020, Wing Interference Patterns in patterned wings of Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) - exploring potential identification tool, Zootaxa 4868 (3), pp. 389-407 : 400-401

Culicoides (S.) tropicalis Kieffer, 1913

( Fig. 10a, b )

Chemical pigmentation ( Fig. 8a ). Light spots on a dull background. Pigment patterns with clearly defined boundaries. Cell r2, including distal part of C vein uniformly dark. An irregular light patch beginning at the distal end of the sc cell including part of C vein, smoothly passing down to the SC and R veins, and covering part of r1 cell, and ⅔ of the R-M crossvein. Two pale spots in the medial part of the wing. Three light patches in the r3 cell; proximal one abuts with distal end of C vein and covers the wing edge. Two light spots in m1 cell, and single in m2 cell. Uneven, light, moderately large patch in cua1 cell. In the anal cell, one clearly visible light spot terminating in a streak abuts with edge of the anal margin.

Interference patterns ( Fig. 8b ). Dominant colours: pale yellow, orange, violet-pink, blue. Structural colours in place of naturally occurring bright spots, light orange to yellowish. Interference colours corresponding to the dark pigment on the wings mostly in shades of blue and violet-pink. Venation quite clearly marked, veins surrounded by orange bands.

Patterns of light markings same in pigmentation and WIP. More distinct WIP marking in anal portion (pale violet streak in the proximal part of the anal cell which is not visible with natural light).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Culicoides ravus (female—17), a—photograph of wing on white background, b—WIP visualization.

FIGURE 10. Culicoides tropicalis (female—19), a—photograph of wing on white background, b—WIP visualization.