Dasyhelea wilkeningi, Grogan & Hribar, 2025

Dasyhelea wilkeningi sp. nov.

( Figs. 33–40 View FIGURES 33–40 )

Diagnosis. A very small species that differs from other species in the D. atlantis-bermudae complex by the following combination of characters: male aedeagi with a slender, vasiform, greatly elongate disto-medial process, the apical 1/3 is tapered distally with a slightly flared apex and greatly elongated apicolateral arms; gonocoxal apodemes and paramere fused at mid-lengths, forming a long extension that extends to or beyond the apex of the aedeagus; wing short (length 0.57–0.67 mm), with a short costa (costal ratio 0.38–0.40); and a very small antennal ratio (0.62–0.76). Females very small (wing length 0.44–0.67 mm) with a short costa (costal ratio 0.37–0.42); their abdomens are covered with dense long setae that are often lost during clearing and slide-mounting; they have a large golden colored spermatheca shaped like a pincushion with very thick walls and a short to elongate dorsal neck.

Male. Head ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 33–40 ): Dark brown. Eyes contiguous for the distance of the length of 6 ommatidia, with short dense inter-ommatidial pubescence. Frontal sclerite elliptical as typical for other species in the D. mutabilis group, but with heavily sclerotized distolateral margins and a slender ventral process that extends between medial margins of antennal pedicels.Antennal flagellum medium light brown, flagellomeres with well-developed surface reticulations; flagellomeres 1–4, 10–13 separate, 5–9 partially or completely fused; flagellomere 2 globular, somewhat flattened, 3–4 rhomboidal, 5–9 vasiform, 10–13 elongate, much longer than 2–9, 13 longest; flagellomeres 1–12 with subbasal whorl of sensilla chaetica, these greatly elongate on flagellomeres 2–10, comprising the moderately dense plume that extends beyond flagellomere 12; antennal ratio 0.62–0.76 (0.67, n=10); total flagellum length 0.357 –0.417 (0.390, n=10) mm. Palpus pale brown; segment 3 slender, apparently with a single baso-mesal capitate sensilla; palpal ratio 4.00. Thorax: Scutum dark brown, humeral areas and lateral margins yellowish; scutellum yellow, extreme margins brownish, with 6 large setae, 2 smaller anterocentral setae; postscutellum medium dark brown; lateral, ventral sclerites golden brown. Femora medium brown; tibiae light brown; tarsomeres 1–4 pale, 5 light brown; claws equal-sized, nearly straight, each talon with inner basal seta and small inner tooth at 1/3 length, apices bent, tips bifid; hind tibial comb with 8 spines, 5–6 longest. Wing ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 33–40 ) moderately broad, hyaline, with numerous short, fine macrotrichia; macrotrichia moderately dense on veins and membrane except on proximal portion of medius, cells r 3, m 1, distal portion of anal cell, dense on wing margin and anterior margin of r 3; radial cells obsolete; basal portion of medius poorly developed, reduced to about 35 lightly sclerotized very small circular bead-like sclerites; M 1 separate from basal portion of medius, not connected to M 2; anal lobe poorly developed; costa short, costal ratio 0.38–0.40 (x̄ =0.39, n=10); wing length 0.57–0.67 (0.61, n=10) mm, width 0.230.26 (0.24, n=10) mm. Halter stem brown, knob pale on extreme base, remainder appearing black, but likely whitish in life. Abdomen: Dark brown. Genitalia as in Figs. 35–36 View FIGURES 33–40 . Tergite 9 very broad at base, tapering progressively distally to rounded apex with an attached extended proctiger bearing apicolateral processes that are stout, conical, closely approximated, apices slightly divergent with single subapical seta; cerci poorly developed, apparently reduced to 2–3 very small raised tubercles on inner bases of apicolateral process, each bearing single short seta; sternite 9 short at base with narrow posterior extension that reaches base or onto proximal portion of aedeagus. Gonocoxite stout, 1.2–1.4X longer than broad, ventral and lateral surface with very long setae that are longest on distal half of lateral margin and apex, mesal surface with moderately dense shorter setae; gonostylus about 0.8 length of gonocoxite, proximal 1/4 broadest section, then tapering abruptly for short distance before expanding slightly at mid portion, distal 1/3 tapering slightly distally to rounded simple apex bearing pair of short subapical setae. Gonocoxal apodemes and paramere symmetrical, slender, heavily sclerotized, fused at mid-length, forming a long extension that extends to or beyond apex of aedeagus; basal apodeme broadest on extreme base, tapering gradually distally, bent 30̊ at distal 1/3, apex curved 90̊, fused with opposite apodeme; distomedian portion elongate, slender, extending to distal 2/3 of median portion of aedeagus. Aedeagus complex, composed of two sections; proximal portion a heavily sclerotized basal sclerite that is divided at midlength with a small basolateral tooth like projection, basal sclerite attached to more lightly sclerotized very long lateral arms, proximal section of lateral arm expanded, tapered on distal 1/4, bent 60̊ at midlength, distal half very slender basally, expanded on apical 3/4, scalpel-shaped with pointed tip with a very slender basal lobe that is partially detached and curved distally; distomedian portion moderately sclerotized, greatly elongate, vasiform, proximal 2/3 expanded, distal 1/3 tapered, slender with a flared tip.

Female. Similar to males with the following notable sexual differences. Head ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 33–40 ): dark brown. Eyes contiguous by the width of 2–4 ommatidia, with short dense inter-ommatidial pubescence as in males. Frontal sclerite elliptical, similar to males with a slender ventral extension that extends midway between bases of eyes. Antennal flagellum lighter brown, with relatively short flagellomeres 2–4 broader than long, 5–8 vasiform, becoming progressively longer, 9–12 more vasiform, 13 longest, more elongate; antennal ratio 0.73–0.82 (0.79, n=10); flagellum length 0.27–0.35 (0.31, n=10) mm. Clypeus with 4–6 pairs of long sub-marginal setae. Palpus ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 33–40 ) light brown, segment 3 moderately long with 1–3 mesal, capitate sensillae; palpal ratio 2.17–3.80 (3.03, n=10). Thorax. Scutum yellowish to brown, with 2 large marginal and 3–4 large central setae. Femora light brown, tibiae usually paler, hind tibia palest; tarsomeres 1–4 pale, 5 light brown; hind tibial comb with 7 spines, 5–6 longest; hind tarsal ratio 1.88–2.10 (2.00, n=10). Wing ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 33–40 ) moderately broad; membrane hyaline with dense long macrotrichia; radial cells obsolete, or, present as a single short suture; apices of costa, radius at a slightly oblique angle; fork of CuA 1 at level of or just anterior of apex of costa-radius; wing length 0.44–0.67 (0.56, n=10) mm; costal ratio 0.37–0.42 (0.41, n=9). Halter stem brown, knob white (appearing black in slide-mounted specimens). Abdomen. Dark brown, with sparse long setae. Sub-genital plate ( Fig. 40 View FIGURES 33–40 ) obscure in some specimens, anterior portion lightly sclerotized, semicircular; posterior portion more heavily sclerotized, narrowly attached to anterior portion, basal arms broad with a V-shaped notch; spermatheca ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 33–40 ) large, length 0.020 –0.027 (0.24 mm, n=9), round, golden colored, shaped like a pin-cushion with very thick walls, and a short or elongate dorsal neck.

Type Material. Holotype male, FLORIDA, Levy Co., Yankeetown, XI 1987, light trap with CO 2, coll: Alan Wilkening ( FSCA); allotype female with same data except SW of Yankeetown , 15-X-2015, W. L. Grogan, Jr., Sweeping Solidago flowers nr. marsh ( FSCA) . Paratypes, 43 males, 25 females: 1 female with same data as allotype ; 1 male, 1 female with same data except W of Yankeetown , 11-X-2014, Sweeping flowers in tidal marsh ; 2 males, 1 female with same data except 27-X-2016 , Sweeping vegetation near tidal marsh. Miami-Dade Co., Pinecrest Chapman Field, 17/ 23-XII-2014, H. Escobar, 26´Tall Suction Trap , 2 females; same data except 29-XII-2014 / 6-I-2014 , 1 male; same data except 20/ 26-I-2015 , 1 male; same data except 6/ 20-IV-2015 , 3 males; same data except 20/ 27-IV-2015 , 1 female; same data except 6/ 11-V-2015 , 1 female; same data except 1–15-VI-2015, Suction Trap , 2 males; same data except 15–22-VI-2015 , 1 female; same data except 29-VI/ 6-VII-2015 , 2 males; same data except 13–20-VII-2015 , 1 male; same data except 27-VII/ 3-VIII-2015 , 1 female; same data except 17/ 24-VIII-2015 , 1 male; same data except 8–14-IX-2015 , 1 male; same data except 28-X/ 2-XI-2015 , 2 males; same data except 30- X/ 7-XII-2015 , 1 male; same data except 9/ 17-XII-2015 , 1 male; same data except 15–21-XII-2015 , 1 male, 1 female; same data except 28-XII-2015 / 5-I-2016 , 3 males, 2 females; same data except 5–11-I-2016 , 2 females; same data except 11–19-I-2016 , 2 females; same data except 1–8-II-2016 , 2 males, 1 female; same data except 8–15-II-2016 , 1 male; same data except 22-II/ 1-III-2016 , 4 males; same data except 1–7-III-2016 , 1 male, 1 female; same data except 7–14-III-2016 , 1 female; same data except 14–21-III-2016 , 3 males; same data except 4–11-IV-2016 , 1 female; same data except 5–11-VII-2016 , 1 female; same data except 19–26-IX-2016 , 1 female; same data except 21–28-XI-2016 , 1 female; same data except 21–28-III-2016 , 1 male; same data except 28-III/ 4-IV-2016 , 1 male; same data except 19–27-XII-2016 , 1 female; same data except 10–17-I-2017 , 1 female; same data except 13–20-II-2017 , 2 males, 1 female; same data except 20–27-II-2017 , 1 male; same data except 27-III/ 3-IV-2017 , 1 male; same data except 17-XII-2018 / 8-1-2019 , 1 male, 1 female; same data except 14–21-I-2019 , 1 male; same data except 2–8-I-2020 , 1 female; same data except 23–29-I-2020 , 1 male, 1 female; same data except 10–17-II-2021 , 1 female; same data except 17–24-II-2021 , 1 male. Collier Co., Immokalee , 23–30-XII-2020, Scott Croxton, Suction Trap , 1 male. Paratypes are deposited in the USNM; the Canadian National Collection, Ottawa ( CNCI); Museo de La Plata , Argentina ( MLPA); and, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, Marathon ( FLKC).

Etymology. We dedicate this new species to Alan Wilkening, who collected the male holotype, in recognition of his collecting a variety of interesting Ceratopogonidae while a graduate student at the University of Florida during the 1980s.

Discussion. Males of this new species differ from most other congeners by their greatly elongate aedeagus and very long distally fused gonocoxal apodemes and paramere. Females differ from similar congeners by their unique large, golden colored, pincushion-shaped spermatheca with very thick walls.