Culicoides (Avaritia) pusillus Lutz, 1913

Huerta, Rodríguez, Ana M., William L. Grogan, Jr. & Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio, 2012, New records of biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille from Mexico (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (211), pp. 1-20 : 6

Culicoides (Avaritia) pusillus Lutz

Culicoides pusillus Lutz, 1913: 52 ( Brazil) .

Culicoides (Avaritia) pusillus: Fox 1955: 218 (in list of New World species assigned to subgenus Avaritia ).

Discussion. This primarily Neotropical species ranges from Florida and Mexico south to Brazil and northeastern Argentina ( Borkent and Spinelli 2000, 2007). Culicoides pusillus is considered to be one of three possible Neotropical species that are capable of vectoring bluetongue to domestic and wild ruminants ( Sáenz and Greiner 1994; Borkent 2005). It was previously known in Mexico from only Chiapas; we provide the first records from Tabasco and Veracruz.

New records. Tabasco, Villahermosa, Zoológico, 23 December 2008 - 8 Jan 2009, A.Villanueva, Malaise trap, 3 females, 3 males. Veracruz, Axalan , Plan de Arroyo, 3 September 2008, Entomological brigade JS V, Malaise trap, 1 female ; same data except CDC trap, 3 February 2009, 1 male ; Juchique de Ferrer, Los Arroyos , 5 February 2009, Entomological brigade JS V, CDC trap, 1 female ; same data except 18 February 2010, Malaise trap, 1 female, 1 male ; Teocelo, Texin , en cafetal, 2 September 2008, CDC trap, 2 females ; Alto Lucero, Arroyo Agrío , 5 September 2008, Malaise trap, 1 female ; Fortin de Las Flores, June 1964, F. S. Blanton, 3 females, 3 males ( FSCA) ; same data except 11 July 1964, 3 females ( FSCA) ; same data except 16 July 1964, 1 male ( FSCA) ; same data except 23 July 1964, 2 males ( FSCA) ; same data except 9 August 1964, 2 females, 1 male ( FSCA) ; same data except 11 August 1964, 1 female ( FSCA) .