Culex ( Melanoconion ) sallumae Talaga, 2022

Culex ( Melanoconion) sallumae Talaga View in CoL , n. sp.

Zoobank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

BIN: BOLD:AER7739.

Male. Habitus not examined. Genitalia ( Fig. 2A‒G View FIGURE 2 ): Tergum VIII with a shallow emargination separating the lateral lobes. Tergum IX lobes small, somewhat triangular in outline, rounded apically, widely separated, bearing 18‒21 setae arranged in 2 irregular rows. Gonocoxite obovoid; ventrolateral setae strongly developed; ventromesal surface with small setae scattered from base to level of subapical lobe, setae stronger basally; lateral surface with a well-developed patch of long setae (lsp) at level of subapical lobe; proximal part of ventrolateral surface without scales. Subapical lobe clearly divided into 2 divisions. Proximal division short, columnar, bearing 2 robust, sinuous, apically hooked setae (setae a and b); seta a slightly shorter and thinner than seta b and inserted slightly basal to seta b; a tight group of 5 enlarged and abruptly pointed setae inserted lateral to proximal division. Distal division long, columnar, with 7 apical setae, 1 long hooked seta ( h), 1 short saber-like seta ( s) arising close to seta h, 1 relatively long saber-like seta ( s), 1 broad, petiolate, striate foliform seta ( l), 3 narrow, appressed flattened setae ( f) arising from distal side. Gonostylus slender, curved, wider at base, tapering to apex, with a patch of short spicules on dorsal surface extending from basal 0.33 to apical snout, subapical crest weakly distinct before apical snout on ventral side, apical snout forming a small, upturned ridge; gonostylar claw short, leaf-like; 2 small setae near dorsal side before gonostylar claw. Phallosome with lateral plates and aedeagal sclerites equivalent in length; aedeagal sclerite broad, curved in lateral view and broadly connected to base of lateral plate; distal part of lateral plate without median process, sternal and tergal processes present; apical sternal process long and hooked at apex; apical tergal process very long, nearly pointed, directed dorsolaterally; apical margin markedly concave; base of lateral plate with a markedly distinct tergal process. Aedeagal sclerite not connected by dorsal aedeagal bridge. Proctiger elongate; paraproct narrowed distally, expanded basally, crown a row of about 5 or 6 simple blades. Cercal sclerite long and narrow with 1 or 2 cercal setae. Basal plate and paramere as figured. Tergum X shape as shown in Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 .

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Professor Maria Anice Mureb Sallum for her incommensurable work on mosquito taxonomy in South America, and particularly on the Spissipes Section of Culex ( Melanoconion) (e.g. Forattini & Sallum 1985; Forattini & Sallum 1995; Sallum & Forattini 1996; Sallum et al. 1997).

Bionomics. Nothing is known about the bionomics of Cx. sallumae . Adult males were collected using CDC and CDC UV-light traps placed at 1 m above ground and operated from 1800 to 0600 h along an oxbow section of a rainforest stream in deep shade.

Distribution. Culex sallumae is only known from the type locality ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ).

Type material. Holotype: Adult male in 96% ethanol with dissected genitalia mounted on a microscope slide (specimen numbers ST1#01700, BOLD: FGMOS2885-22 ), FRENCH GUIANA: Montagnes de la Trinité, Crique Aya ( 53.41378° W, 4.60310° N, 115 m above sea level), 3-XI-2020, S. Talaga, IPG GoogleMaps . Paratypes: Two adult males in alcohol with dissected genitalia mounted on separate microscope slides (specimen numbers ST1#01702, BOLD: FGMOS2887-22 and ST1#01704, BOLD: FGMOS2889-22 ), same collection data as the holotype, IPG GoogleMaps .