Redescription of pupae of the New World predaceous midges, Pachyhelea pachymera (Williston, 1900) and Clastrieromyia dycei Spinelli and Grogan, 1986 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

ABSTRACT

The pupae of the predaceous midges, Pachyhelea pachymera (Williston, 1900) and Clastrieromyia dycei Spinelli and Grogan, 1986, are redescribed and illustrated using modern terminology from specimens collected in Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos Provinces, Argentina, and Artigas Department, Uruguay. Both species exhibit elongated, thin anteromedial sensilla that are characteristic of other genera in the tribe Palpomyiini. Character differences from known pupae of the New World species in the Palpomyia tibialis group are noted for P. pachymera and differences from other Palpomyiini genera are noted for C. dycei.

KEYWORDS:

• Ceratopogonidae
• Pachyhelea pachymera
• Clastrieromyia dycei
• predaceous midges
• pupae
• taxonomy
• Neotropical

Acknowledgements

We greatly acknowledge Dr Art Borkent for his important suggestions during our extensive discussions on the pupal characters of Ceratopogonidae. Our gratitude also goes to Nélida Caligaris for technical assistance in the laboratory. We are also very grateful to Dr William L. Grogan, Jr and Dr Pablo Marino for the improvement of the manuscript acting as journal reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.