Dasyhelea aliciae, Grogan & Díaz & Spinelli & Ronderos, 2019

Grogan, William L., Díaz, Florentina, Spinelli, Gustavo R. & Ronderos, Maria M., 2019, The Biting Midges of the Caribbean island Curaçao (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) I. Species in the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer, Zootaxa 4700 (3), pp. 301-325 : 303-304

Key to adult Dasyhelea of Curaçao (females unknown for D. aliciae n. sp. & D. recurva n. sp.)

1 Males .............................................................................................. 2

- Females............................................................................................ 13

2 Aedeagus nearly covered with, or, only distal portion covered with thin hyaline envelope ( Fig. 69 ); gonocoxal apodemes and paramere symmetrical ( Fig. 68 )......................................................................... 3

- Aedeagus not covered with thin hyaline envelope ( Figs. 54, 57, 60, 63, 66 ); gonocoxal apodemes and paramere usually asymmetrical, rarely symmetrical ( Figs. 53, 56, 59, 62, 65 )........................................................ 5

3 Small species; wing length 0.85 mm, wing very broad, membrane without macrotrichia; paramere straight, club-shaped; aedeagus very complex, composed of two sections, a heavily sclerotized H-shaped basal portion and a broad, hyaline membranous quadrate posterior portion attached to the distal section of the basal portion, the apex of which is broad with short, blunt apicolateral extensions and an apicocentral lobe ( Figs. 45 , 67–69 ) (unplaced to species group)... D. rhopaloparamera n. sp.

- Large species; wing length 1.25–1.50 mm, wing narrow, membrane with long macrotrichia, densest apically; paramere straight, tapered distally to pointed or rounded tip; aedeagus nearly entirely covered with thin hyaline envelope (cincta group)...... 4

4 Paramere elongate, slender with sharply pointed tip and base fused to both gonocoxal apodemes; bases of gonocoxal apodemes broad, foot-shaped; distal margin of hyaline envelope of aedeagus without crenulations.............. D. cincta (Coquillett)

- Paramere relatively short, rod-like and not usually fused to gonocoxal apodemes; bases of gonocoxal apodemes slender, recurved; distal margin of hyaline envelope of aedeagus with crenulations...................... D. bahamensis (Johnson)

5 Frontal sclerite broad, elliptical, bilobate or heart-shaped; antennal flagellomeres 2–13 heavily sculptured, 13 elongate with a tapered slender apex; gonocoxal apodemes and paramere asymmetrical; gonocoxite often with basomesal hook or spur (grisea group)............................................................................................. 6

- Frontal sclerite slender, elliptical with or without a pair of lower marginal ear-like lobes; antennal flagellomeres 2–12 usually not sculptured, 13 short to moderately long with rounded apex; gonocoxal apodemes and paramere usually asymmetrical, rarely symmetrical; gonocoxite without basomesal hook or spur..................................................... 8

6 Aedeagus with unequal length posterolateral arms, right arm shorter than left arm; sternite 9 mid-portion margin with numerous small spicules................................................................... D. azteca Huerta & Grogan

- Aedeagus with equal length posterolateral arms; sternite 9 mid-portion margin without numerous small spicules......... 7

7 Gonocoxite with large basomesal hook; paramere fused to both gonocoxal apodemes, apex curved or straight, not bent ventrad................................................................................ D. grisea (Coquillett)

- Gonocoxite with or without small basomesal spur; paramere sometimes fused to only base of right gonocoxal apodeme, apex bent ventrad................................................................ D. flavifrons (Guérin-Méneville)

8 Sternite 9 distal margin extending to just below basal arch or as far as beyond apex of aedeagus ( Fig. 5 ); frontal sclerite usually with pair of lower marginal ear-like lobes; aedeagus usually without a posteromedian projection ( Fig. 54 ); distal margin of tergite 9 usually with short conical apicolateral processes (leptobranchia group)................................... 9

- Sternite 9 distal margin concave, straight or extending to base of or onto aedeagus but not beyond apex (Figs. 10, 15, 25, 34); frontal sclerite elliptical, without lower marginal ear-like lobes; aedeagus with a posteromedian projection ( Figs. 57, 60, 63, 66 ); distal margin of tergite 9 usually with elongate conical or cylindrical apicolateral processes (mutabilis group)....... 10

9 Sternite 9 mid-portion greatly elongate, extending beyond apex of aedeagus, distal section expanded laterally; paramere relatively short, distal portion not recurved ventrally; tergite 9 apicolateral processes parallel.......... D. corinneae Gosseries

- Sternite 9 mid-portion moderately elongate, extending just below basal arch of aedeagus, distal margin slightly curved; paramere long, distal portion elongate, slender, recurved ventrally; tergite 9 apicolateral processes divergent ( Figs. 5 , 52–53 )............................................................................................. D. aliciae n. sp.

10 Paramere without tapered, recurved apical section ( Fig. 59 ).................................................. 11

- Paramere with tapered, recurved apical section ( Figs. 62, 65 )................................................. 12

11 Paramere asymmetrical, broad basally with angled apex; aedeagus broad, heavily sclerotized, apical portion bifurcate with bifid, recurved apices; tergite 9 with parallel apicolateral processes (Figs. 10, 56–57)................... D. recurva n. sp.

- Paramere nearly symmetrical, slender basally with bifid apex; aedeagus complex, composed of two sections, a heavily sclerotized basal portion and a hyaline distal portion; tergite 9 with broadly divergent apicolateral processes ( Figs. 15 , 58–60 )............................................................................................ D. latiala n. sp.

12 Gonostylus elongate with very slender, recurved apical section; gonocoxal apodemes broadly fused with paramere; apical section of paramere abruptly recurved, adpressed to ventral side of paramere; aedeagus with very shallow basal arch, posterolateral arms with mesal short, slender, subapical toothlike process ( Figs. 25 , 62–63 )........................ D. cyrtostyla n. sp.

- Gonostylus moderately short with slender rounded apex; only right gonocoxal apodeme fused with paramere; apical section of paramere recurved, J-shaped, not adpressed to paramere; aedeagus with deep, curved basal arch, posterolateral arms with pointed apices, without mesal subapical toothlike process ( Figs. 34 , 65–66 )...................... D. curacaoensis n. sp.

13 Two spermathecae (cincta group)....................................................................... 14

- One spermatheca.................................................................................... 15

14 Antennal flagellomeres 9–13 elongate, much longer than broad….. D. cincta (Coquillett)

- Antennal flagellomeres 9–12 very short, only 13 slightly elongate, longer than broad............ D. bahamensis (Johnson)

15 Frontal sclerite broad, elliptical, bilobate or heart-shaped; antennal flagellomeres 2–13 usually heavily sculptured, 13 elongate with a tapered slender apex; subgenital plate usually with triangular, arrowhead-shaped or slender distal portion (grisea group)............................................................................................ 16

- Frontal sclerite slender, elliptical, with or without lower marginal ear-like lobes; antennal flagellomeres usually not heavily sculptured, flagellomere 13 short to moderately long with rounded apex; subgenital plate circular with a central lumen, disjunct, or, slender bridge-like................................................................................. 18

16 Subgenital plate with a pair of basolateral pointed projections and distal portion arrowhead-shaped; spermatheca subspherical, often retort-shaped with a long neck that is usually recurved.......................... D. flavifrons (Guérin-Méneville)

- Subgenital plate without basolateral pointed projections, distal portion arrowhead-shaped or slender; spermatheca pyriform, with or without long slender neck....................................................................... 17

17 Subgenital plate lightly to moderately sclerotized, distal portion slender or arrowhead-shaped; spermatheca pyriform with large well-developed surface punctations, distal portion curved with long slender neck; flagellomeres 9-12 without sculpturing, only 13 with distinct sculpturing........................................................ D. azteca Huerta & Grogan

- Subgenital plate heavily sclerotized with distinct arrowhead-shaped distal portion; spermatheca pyriform without numerous large, well-developed surface punctations, without a long neck; flagellomeres 9-13 with distinct sculpturing....... D. grisea (Coquillett)

18 Subgenital plate slender, bridge-like, without central lumen, or, arched at mid-length with poorly developed central lumen ( Fig. 51 ); antennal flagellomeres 3–13 elongate or only 13 elongate ( Fig. 46 )......................................... 19

- Subgenital plate circular or ovoidal with central lumen ( Figs. 21 , 30 , 41 ); antennal flagellomeres 3–12 usually relatively short, 9–13 sometimes longer than broad ( Figs. 26 , 35 ) (mutabilis group)............................................. 20

19 Antennal flagellomeres 2–12 vasiform, slightly longer than broad, only 13 elongate, much longer than broad; subgenital plate slender, abruptly elevated at mid length with a narrow disjunct curved sclerite and quadrate central lumen; wing membrane nearly devoid of macrotrichia, a few in margins of cells r 3 and m 1; spermatheca spheroidal, large (67 x 60 µm) with long, slender neck; sternite 8 with 2 separated lengthwise groups of 3–6 long setae ( Figs. 46, 50–51 ) (unplaced to species group)...................................................................................... D. rhopaloparamera n. sp.

- Antennal flagellomeres 2–13 elongate, 9-13 much longer than broad; subgenital plate slender, bridge-like, without disjunct anterior sclerite; wing membrane with dense macrotrichia in all cells; sternite 8 with mid lateral row of 4–8 long setae; spermatheca ovoid, small (45 x 30 µm) with short slender neck (leptobranchia group)…………. D. corinneae Gosseries

- 20 Antennal flagellum very short (total length 0.31-0.33 mm), flagellomeres 2–12 very short, moniliform, only 13 longer than broad; wing with very short costa, costal ratio 0.23–25; subgenital plate with small narrow lumen; spermatheca small (35 x 28 µm) ( Figs. 35, 40–41 )................................................................ D. curacaoensis n. sp.

- Antennal flagellum elongate to moderately long (total length 0.36–0.48 mm), flagellomeres 9–13 slightly to moderately elongate, longer than 2–8; wing with moderately long costa, costal ratio 0.44–0.50; subgenital plate with large broad lumen; spermatheca medium-size to large (42.5 x 37.5 µm–57.5 x 32.5 µm)............................................... 21

21 Antennal flagellomeres 9–13 elongate, much longer than 2–8; wing very broad with moderately long costa, costal ratio 0.50; subgenital plate with a sub-circular basal portion with a large ovoid lumen and a very broad trapezoidal apical portion; spermatheca medium-size (42.5 x 37.5 µm), ovoid, heavily sclerotized, neck short, slightly recurved ( Figs. 16, 20–21 )................................................................................................... D. latiala n. sp.

- Antennal flagellomeres 2–12 slightly longer than broad, only 13 longer than 9–12; wing broad with moderately short costa, costal ratio 0.44; subgenital plate anterior portion semi-circular with broad, ovoid lumen, posterior portion of main body as broad as anterior portion with 2 small sub-basal triangular points; spermatheca large (57.5 x 32.5 µm), ovoid, very heavily sclerotized, neck short, moderately stout, curved ( Figs. 26, 29–30 )......................................... D. cyrtostyla n. sp.

Figures

FIGURES 52–69. Male Dasyhelea genitalia structures: sternites 9 (left column), gonocoxal apodemes and parameres (middle column), and aedeagi (right column). 52–54 D. aliciae n. sp., 55–57 D. recurva n. sp., 58–60 D. latiala n. sp., 61–63 D. cyrtostyla n. sp., 64–66 D. curacaoensis n. sp., 67–69 D. rhopaloparamera n. sp. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 42–51. Dasyhelea rhopaloparamera n. sp. Holotype male, 42–45, allotype female, 46–51. 42, 46 head. 43, 48 palpus. 44, 50 wing. 45 genitalia. 47 clypeus. 49 thorax. 51 apex of abdomen and spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 1–5. Dasyhelea aliciae n. sp. Holotype male. 6-10. Dasyhelea recurva n. sp. Holotype male. 1, 6 head. 2, 7. palpus. 3, 8 thorax and abdomen. 4, 9 wing. 5, 10 genitalia. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 11–21. Dasyhelea latiala n. sp. Holotype male, 11–15, allotype female, 16–21. 11, 16 head. 12, 17 clypeus. 13, 18 palpus. 14, 20 wing. 15 genitalia. 19 thorax. 21 apex of abdomen and spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 22–30. Dasyhelea cyrtostyla n. sp. Holotype male, 22–25, allotype female, 26–30. 22, 26 head. 23, 28 palpus. 24, 29 wing. 25 genitalia. 27 clypeus. 30 apex of abdomen and spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 31–41. Dasyhelea curacaoensis n. sp. Holotype male, 31–34, allotype female, 35-41. 31, 35 head. 32, 38 palpus. 33, 40 wing. 34 genitalia. 36 frontal sclerite. 37 clypeus. 39 thorax and abdomen. 41 apex of abdomen and spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.