Forcipomyia (Trichohelea) sayhuequei, Marino & Spinelli, 2004

Marino, Pablo I. & Spinelli, Gustavo R., 2004, Descriptions of the Patagonian species of the subgenus Trichohelea of Forcipomyia, with a key to the Neotropical species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Journal of Natural History 38 (17), pp. 2251-2262 : 2257-2260

Forcipomyia (Trichohelea) sayhuequei sp. n.

(figures 10–17)

Diagnosis

A large-sized, dark brown species; flagellomeres 1–8 nearly as long as broad; sensory pit of third palpal segment shallow, open by a broad pore; tarsal claws stout, bifid from the base; second radial cell very elongated, CR 0.61; anterior margin of genital sclerotization rounded.

Female

Wing. Length 1.44 mm (1.38–1.50, N ~8); breadth 0.65 mm (0.62–0.68, N ~8).

Head. Dark brown. Vertex pilose. Eyes bare, contiguous by a distance equal to diameter of five ommatidia. Flagellum of antenna (figure 10) with flagellomeres 1–8 nearly as long as broad; 9–12 elongated, cylindrical, approximately 2.6 times longer than greatest breadth; distal flagellomere slightly longer than 9–12, with a short process; AR 1.67 (1.62–1.75, N ~8). Palpus (figure 11) brown, third segment slightly shorter than the combined length of fourth and fifth seg-

ments, slightly swollen at mid-portion, with a shallow sensory pit opening by a broad, rounded pore; fifth segment shorter and narrower than fourth; PR 2.13 (1.93–2.43, N ~8). Mandible (figure 12) with apex strongly sclerotized, bearing 10 minute teeth. Maxilla tapering to pointed tip (figure 13), with eight pairs of minute teeth.

Thorax. Scutum dark brown, humeral areas slightly paler; scutellum pale brown, with 20 strong setae and 10–12 slender ones. Legs uniformly brown, densely covered by hairs; prothoracic TR 1.96 (1.87–2.00, N ~8), mesothoracic TR 1.92 (1.81–2.00, N ~7), metathoracic TR 2.28 (2.11–2.44, N ~8). Claws (figure 14) stout, curved, 0.3 times as long as fifth tarsomere, bifid from the base; empodium well developed. Wing (figure 15) densely covered with macrotrichia, especially on anterior margin; a small pale area situated immediately

distad to the second radial cell; two radial cells well formed, the first one narrow, second elongated; medio-cubital fork proximad to the level of end of costa; CR 0.62 (0.61–0.63, N ~8). Halter whitish.

Abdomen. Brown, pilose. Genital sclerotization (figure 16) open, anterior margin rounded. Two pyriform, strongly sclerotized spermathecae (figure 17), subequal, measuring 0.046× 0.040 mm and 0.046× 0.038 mm, necks 0.010 mm.

FIGS 10–23. (10–17) Forcipomyia (T.) sayhuequei , female. (18–23) Forcipomyia (T.) tehuelche , male. (10) Flagellum. (11) Maxillary palpus. (12) Mandible. (13) Maxilla. (14) Fourth and fifth tarsomeres and claws. (15) Wing. (16) Genital sclerotization. (17) Spermathecae. (18) Flagellomeres 10–13. (19) Maxillary palpus. (20) Wing. (21) Genitalia (parameres removed). (22) Tip of aedeagus. (23) Parameres. Scales: 0.05 mm.

Male Unknown.

Distribution

In subantarctic forest of Chubut province in Argentina, and Llanquihue in Chile ( figure 24 ).

Types

Holotype ”, Argentina, Chubut Prov., ‘ Los Alerces’ National Park, El Alerzal , 23 January 1988, G. R. Spinelli, CDC light trap. Seven paratypes ”, Chile, Llanquihue, Yerbas Buenas, 13 km N of Ensenada, 1–6 December 1994, 150 m, L. Quate, CDC light trap.

Discussion

Females of F. (T.) sayhuequei can be distinguished from females of the other two known Patagonian species of the subgenus Trichohelea by the shallow sensory pit on third palpal segment; costa and second radial cells very enlarged; and stouter tarsal claws, bifid from the base.

Figures

FIG. 24. Known localities for the Patagonian species of the subgenus Trichohelea.