304 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. io9 



Discussion: This species resembles covagarciai in leg markings, but 

 the length of proboscis allies it more closely with rostratus, while the 

 palpi resemble those of eferus. The mandibles have more teeth and 

 the antennal ratio is higher than in any of these three species. 



15. Culicoides covagarciai Ortiz 



Figure 18 



Culicoides cova-garciai Ortiz, 1950, Rev. Sanid. Asist. Soc, vol. 15, p. 457 (male, 

 female; Caracas, Venezuela; fig. wing, mesonotum, spermathecae, palpus, 

 antenna). — Wirth and Blanton, 1956, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 58, 

 p. 216 (male, female; Panama, Venezuela; synonym, beebei Fox; fig. wing, 

 palpus, spermathecae, male genitalia). 



Culicoides beebei Fox, 1952, Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., vol. 45, p. 366 (female; Rancho 

 Grande, Maracay, Venezuela; fig. wing, palpus, spermathecae, tibial comb). 



Female: Length of wing 1.19 (1.06-1.28, n=10) mm. 



Head. — Eyes contiguous, bare. Antenna with flagellar segments in 

 proportion of 20: 15: 16: 16: 16: 16: 16: 16:20:21:25:28:38, antennal ratio 

 1.09; distal sensory tufts present on segments iii, xi-xv. Proboscis 

 from base of palpi to its tip 0.8 times as long as height of an eye. 

 Palpal segments in proportion of 8 :22 :31 : 12 : 14, third segment swollen, 

 2.4 (2.1-2.7, n = 9) times as long as greatest breadth, with a broad, 

 shallow, sensory pit. Mandible with 15 (15-16, n=10) teeth. 



Thorax. — ^Mesonotum uniformly yellowish brown, varying from a 

 golden yellow to a darker brown, scutellum somewhat darker. Legs 

 brown, bases of femora, apices of fore and mid femora, bases of all 

 tibiae, and apex of hind tibia broadly yellowish ; hind tibial comb with 

 six spines. 



Wing. — ^Pattern as figured, all of second radial cell except extreme 

 base in a yellow area, wing predominantly pale marked, with irregular, 

 broken, transverse dark bands. Macrotrichia very sparse on distal 

 fourth of wing; costa extending 0.67 way to wing tip. Halter pale. 



Abdomen. — Dark brown. Spermathecae two, slightly ovoid, sub- 

 equal, each measuring 0.050 by 0.043 mm. 



Male genitalia: Ninth sternum with moderately deep caudo- 

 median excavation; ninth tergum with truncated caudal margin bear- 

 ing long, slender, apicolateral processes. Basistyle with ventral root 

 short and blunt, dorsal root longer and slender, heavy spinose setae 

 present on mesal surface. Aedeagus long, narrow at base, a sclero- 

 tized transverse membrane near base of arch, a distinct internal peg- 

 like sclerotization at base of distal stem, latter with spherical tip. 

 Parameres separated at bases, each with abruptly bent stout basal 

 portion; straight tapering stem and pointed, slender, hairy tip. 



