Dasyhelea reynoldsi Ingram and Macfie, 1931

Díaz, Florentina, Spinelli, Gustavo R. & Ronderos, María M., 2010, A revision of the species allied to Dasyhelea patagonica Ingram and Macfie (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Journal of Natural History 44 (45 - 46), pp. 2825-2849 : 2843-2845

Dasyhelea reynoldsi Ingram and Macfie, 1931

( Figures 7 , 8 )

Dasyhelea reynoldsi Ingram and Macfie, 1931: 185 (male, female, Argentina); Wirth, 1974: 18 (in catalogue of south USA species); Borkent and Wirth, 1997: 57 (in World catalogue); Spinelli, 1998: 325 (in list; Argentina); Borkent and Spinelli, 2000: 26 (in catalogue south USA species), Borkent and Spinelli, 2007: 61 (in Neotropical catalogue); Borkent, 2009: 69 (online catalogue).

Diagnosis

The only species of the patagonica group with the sternite 9 of male bearing a posterior trefoil-shaped projection and the gonostylus with a double curve.

Male. Similar to female with usual sexual differences. Flagellum as in Figure 8A brown. Palpus ( Figure 8B ) brown; with third segment bearing scattered sensilla; PR 5.23 (4.53–6.08, n = 10). Scutellum with 24–34 long setae and 12–16 shorter ones. Wing ( Figure 8C ), length 1.81 mm (1.72–1.94 mm, n = 9), width 0.52 mm (0.50– 0.56 mm, n = 9), CR 0.50 (0.49–0.51, n = 9). Genitalia ( Figure 8D ): tergite 9 not reaching to level of apex of the gonocoxite, tip broad, truncate, apicolateral process slender, with apical seta; cercus with four or five short setae; sternite 9 ( Figure 8E ) 0.65 times longer than greatest width, posteromedian margin narrow, slightly concave, with posterior projection trefoil-shaped slightly produced beyond aedeagus tip. Gonocoxite stout, 2.2 times longer than greatest width, with conspicuous anteromedian process directed anteromesad; gonostylus as long as gonocoxite, slender, with a double curve, tip pointed. Parameres ( Figure 8F ) with basal arms slender, curved; posteromedian projection triangular with blunt tip, reaching midlength of aedeagus. Aedeagus strongly sclerotized, 0.5 times longer than greatest width, basal arch extending to 0.4 of total length; basal arms slender, curved directed laterad; posterolateral arms stout recurved ventrad.

Female. Head dark brown. Eyes contiguous by width of two ommatidia. Antenna with flagellum ( Figure 8G ) very dark brown, AR 1.01 (1.00–1.08, n = 10). Clypeus ( Figure 8H ) with seven or eight setae. Palpus ( Figure 8I ) dark brown; third segment with two sub-basal capitate sensillae; PR 4.21 (3.33–4.57, n = 10).

Thorax. Scutum very dark brown, scutellum with 20–26 long setae and 14–22 shorter ones. Legs very dark brown, except tarsis pale brown; hind tibial comb with six spines; prothoracic TR 1.80 (1.59–2.00, n = 10), mesothoracic TR 1.90 (1.76–2.27, n = 10), metathoracic TR 1.79 (1.71–1.85, n = 10). Wing ( Figure 8J ), length 1.68 mm (1.52–1.78 mm, n = 10), width 0.67 mm (0.64–0.74 mm, n = 10), CR 0.53 (0.51–0.55, n = 10); membrane slightly infuscated, densely covered with macrotrichiae; cubital fork at same level of anterior portion of second radial cell. Halter dark brown.

Abdomen. Dark brown. Subgenital plate ( Figure 8K ), subtriangular; posterolateral arms stout, inner margin with bulbous protuberance. Two ovoid spermathecae ( Figure 8L ), subequal, with straight necks, measuring 0.056 by 0.038 mm and 0.054 by 0.038 mm, necks 0.004 mm.

Distribution

Argentina (Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego) .

Type material

Holotype male, allotype female, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego prov., Río Grande , estancia Viamonte, 1930, P. W. Reynolds ( NHM, examined).

Other specimens examined

Argentina, Santa Cruz prov., Lago del Desierto , 9 December 1996, G. Spinelli, 3 males ( MLP) . Tierra del Fuego prov., 40 km west of Río Grande , 3 December 2005, G. Spinelli, 1 male, red ( MLP) ; Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, Río Ovando y ruta nacional no. 3, 54 ◦ 50 ′ 45.3 ′′ S, 68 ◦ 34 ′ 47.7 ′′ W, 1 December 2008, G. Spinelli, 1 male, red ( MLP) ; laguna Negra (turbera), 54 ◦ 50 ′ 2.1 ′′ S, 68 ◦ 35 ′ 17.9 ′′ W, 15 m, 4–7 December 2008, M. Donato - G. Spinelli, 4 males, Malaise trap ( MLP) ; Lago Yehuin , 54 ◦ 21 ′ 39.6 ′′ S, 67 ◦ 46 ′ 44.4 ′′ W, 45 m, 5 December 2008, G. Spinelli, 1 female, red ( MLP) ; río San Pablo y ruta complementaria a, 54 ◦ 17 ′ 59.5 ′′ S, 66 ◦ 42 ′ 42.5 ′′ W, 12 m, 3 December 2008, G. Spinelli, 1 male, red ( MLP) ; ruta complementaria a (turbera), 54 ◦ 21 ′ 42.3 ′′ S, 66 ◦ 39 ′ 42.4 ′′ W, 40 m, 3 December 2008, G. Spinelli, 8 females, red ( MLP) .

Discussion

This species, restricted to southern Patagonia, is very similar to D. s hannoni. However, the latter species is smaller, the sternite 9 of the male is arrow-shaped, the posterolateral arms of the aedeagus are convergent and the female subgenital plate is higher.

The type-locality of D. reynoldsi is located in the Argentinean side of the island of Tierra del Fuego, not in Chile as stated by Wirth (1974) and followed by Borkent and Wirth (1997) and Borkent and Spinelli (2000, 2007). On the other hand, Spinelli (1998) properly recorded the species from Argentina.

Figures

Figure 7. Distribution of Dasyhelea patagonica, Dasyhelea reynoldsi and Dasyhelea shannoni.

Figure 8. Dasyhelea reynoldsi Ingram and Macfie: (A–F) male, (G–L) female. (A) Flagellum. (B) Left palpus. (C) Wing. (D) Genitalia (ventral view). (E) Sternite 9. (F) Parameres. (G) Flagellum. (H) Clypeus. (I) Right palpus. (J) Wing. (K) Subgenital plate. (L) Spermathecae. Scale bars 0.05 mm.