Tokunagahelea, a new subgenus of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Australasian region with descriptions of two new species

Abstract

Tokunagahelea is proposed as a new subgenus of the genus Culicoides Latreille to embrace three species from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Comparative descriptions of both males and females of Culicoides mikros, sp. nov., and C. geocheloneoides, sp. nov., and a redescription of the female of C. pygmaeus Tokunaga (male unknown), are presented together with a key for differentiation. C. mikros is the designated type species of the subgenus. Systematic relationships of the new subgenus are discussed.