Description of the hitherto unknown female of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) Chadlii, Rioux, Juminer & Gibily, 1966 (Diptera : Psychodidae)
Abstract
The female of Phlebotomus chadlii Rioux, Jumminer & Gaily, 1966 is described and illustrated for the first time from a specimen collected in El Kef region, northwest Tunisia. It was distinguished from P. ariasi by several characters of the spermathecae; 1) the enlarged portion of P. chadlii spermathecae duct appears smooth and better developed than that of P. oriasi; 2) in P. chadlii, this part comprises three quarters of the duct whereas, in P. oriasi, it covers only the half; 3 the spermathecae neck of P. chodlii is shorter than that of P. ariasi. The duct base is compatible with the large aedeagus size of P. chodlii male. Besides, the assignment of this female to the species P. chodlii is supported by: 1) the presence of moles in the same area, over the last three years; 2) the total absence in this area of P. ariasi; 3) the concomitant presence, in the same trap station, of the described female with P. chadlii moles.
Domains
Life Sciences [q-bio]
Origin : Publisher files allowed on an open archive
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