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Introduction
The genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), known in Mexico as “jejenes or chaquistes”, comprises a large group with 1,347 species worldwide (Borkent & Dominiak, 2020) which is notorious because of its biological, ecological and taxonomic diversity, and is also well known because many species have blood-feeding habits and therefore, medical and veterinary importance (Borkent, 2005; Kettle, 1977; Linley et al., 1983).
Current knowledge of the genus Culicoides in Mexico includes 84 species belonging to 14 subgenera, 9 species groups, and 4 species unplaced (Borkent & Spinelli, 2000, 2007; Huerta et al., 2012; Ibáñez-Bernal et al., 1996; Spinelli & Huerta, 2015). However, the diversity of Culicoides from many regions of Mexico is still poorly studied, and knowledge of the group is still fragmented. The pioneering work of Macfie (1948) described 9 new species from Mexico (Chiapas) and provided a key to species of the Caribbean region, in which at least 28 known species from Mexico can be distinguished. Other taxonomic reviews of Culicoides of the Neotropical region include part of the diversity of species in Mexico (Cf.Blanton & Wirth, 1979; Wirth & Blanton, 1959, 1974; Wirth & Hubert, 1960). Harrup et al. (2015) included identification references for the Culicoides fauna by biogeographical region.
A recent update of the genus Stilobezzia Kieffer, 1911, in Mexico, included a key for all the known species (Huerta & Grogan, 2017). Ronderos and Spinelli (1999) included a review of subgenus Lasiohelea Kieffer, 1921 (Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818) from the Neotropical region, with a key for species known in Mexico.
We report 7 new records from the state of Tabasco: Forcipomyia stylifer (Lutz, 1913), Culicoides blantoniVargas & Wirth, 1955, Culicoides foxi Ortiz, 1950, Culicoides leopoldoi Ortiz, 1951, Culicoides jamaicensis Edwards, 1922, Culicoides poikilonotusMacfie, 1948, and Stilobezzia coquilletti Kieffer, 1917; as well as new locality records for Culicoides gabaldoni Ortiz, 1954, Culicoides insignis Lutz, 1913, Culicoides paraensis (Goeldi, 1905), and Stilobezzia kiefferi Lane, 1947. The distribution record of Culicoides dicrourus Wirth & Blanton, 1955, from Mexico is confirmed. We also include an updated list of known species of Culicoides for the state of Tabasco (Table 1) and a key to separate species from this state.
Table 1 List records of Culicoides from Tabasco, Mexico
| Species | Locality | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Culicoides blantoni | Huimango | in the present |
| Culicoides dicrourus | Huimango | in the present |
| Culicoides foxi | Huimango | in the present |
| Culicoides furens | Ceibas | Huerta et al. (2012) |
| Synonymy: | ||
| maculithorax (Williston), 1896: 227 (Ceratopogon) (St. Vicent). | ||
| birabeni Cavalieri, 1966: 59 (Venezuela) | ||
| Culicoides gabaldoni | no data of locality | Wirth et al. (1988) |
| no data of locality | Borkent and Spinelli (2007) | |
| Huimango | in the present | |
| Culicoides insignis | Villahermosa | Spinelli et al. (1993) |
| Synonymy: | Villahermosa | Huerta et al. (2012) |
| inamollae Fox and Hoffman, 1944: 110 (Puerto Rico). | Huimango | in the present |
| painteri Fox, 1946: 257 (Honduras) | ||
| Culicoides jamaicensis | Huimango | in the present |
| Culicoides leopoldoi | Huimango | in the present |
| Culicoides ocumarensis | Villahermosa | Spinelli et al. (1993) |
| no data of locality | Borkent and Spinelli (2007) | |
| Culicoides paraensis | Villahermosa | Wirth and Felippe-Bauer (1989) |
| Synonymy: | Huimango | in the present |
| undecimpunctatus Kieffer, 1917: 307 (Argentina) | ||
| Culicoides poikilonotus | Huimango | in the present |
| Synonymy: | ||
| cacozelusMacfie, 1948: 85 (Mexico) | ||
| hertigiWirth and Blanton, 1953: 229 (Panama). | ||
| Culicoides pusillus | Villahermosa | Wirth et al. (1988) |
| Villahermosa | Huerta et al. (2012) |
Materials and methods
A total of 355 specimens of biting midges was collected as part of entomological surveillance of Leishmaniases program, during the first week of October 2019. Collections were performed at peridomestic sites by the personnel of the Secretaría de Salud de Tabasco, Programa de control de vectores del Centro Nacional de Programas Preventivos y Control de Enfermedades (CENAPRECE), in the locality of Huimango (second section), Municipality of Cunduacán, Tabasco, Mexico. Samples of Culicoides, Forcipomyia, and Stilobezzia were collected during a 3-day period with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps, in 3 different locations of rural areas near the houses within plantations of Theobroma cacao L., cacao tree. Climate of this collection area is characteristic of the Tabasco plains, warm-humid with abundant summer rains, and an annual average temperature of 26.2 °C (INEGI, 2015). Cunduacán is one of the main cocoa (chocolate) producing regions, with abundant cocoa plantations (cacaotales).
The collection sites were named as: site 1, 18°08’34.8” N, 93°08’66.4” W; site 2, 18°07’56.0” N, 93°10’46.1” W; and site 3, 18°07’97.5” N, 93°10’24.2” W (Fig. 1). Specimens of each species collected were preserved in ethanol and afterwards, separated, cleared, dissected, and mounted on microscope slides in Canada balsam using the technique described by Borkent and Spinelli (2007). A set of remaining specimens was preserved directly in ethyl alcohol.
Morphological terminology here employed is based on Borkent (2017) and Borkent et al. (2009). Assignment of Culicoides species to subgenus and species groups follows the system proposed by Borkent and Dominiak (2020). All specimens are deposited in the Colección de Artrópodos con Importancia Médica (CAIM), Secretaría de Salud, México City.
Results
Key to the Culicoides species from Tabasco, Mexico (primarily for females).
1. Second radial cell wholly or mainly included in a pale spot (Figs. 2E-F) ……………………2
-. Second radial cell wholly included in a dark spot (Figs. 2A-D, G, 3A−B) ……………………4
2(1) Crossvein r-m pale; pale area straddling middle of vein M2 discontinuous; male ninth tergite with mesal cleft, apicolateral process very close together……..C. ocumarensis Ortiz
-. Crossvein r-m dark; area straddling middle of vein M2 continuous; male ninth tergite without mesal cleft, apicolateral process not closed……………………………………3
3(2) Cell m1 with a distal pale spot; vein R3 dark up to the point where it turns abruptly forward to meet costa (Fig. 2F) ……………………………………C. insignis Lutz
-. Cell m1 with 2 distal pale spots; vein R3 pale with small blackish spot behind apex (Fig. 2E) ………………………………………………………………………………….C. foxi Ortiz
4(1) Wing with contrasting pattern of dark and pale spot; cell r2 usually longer than cell r1 (Fig. 2A-D) ………………………………………………………………………………….5
-. Wing without contrasting pattern, very faint spot; second radial cell shorter than cell r1………………………………………………………………………………….C. pusillus Lutz
5(4) Wing with a pale spot straddling middle of vein M2; pale apex of veins M1 and M2………………………………………6
-. Wing without a pale spot straddling middle of vein M2; usually dark apex of veins M1 and M2………………………………………………………………………………….8
6(5) Third palpal segment with shallow, sensory pit; cibarial armature present; cell r3 with a basal pale spot (Fig. 2A) ………………………………………………………………………………….C. blantoni Vargas & Wirth
-. Third palpal segment with a large, deep, sensory pit; without cibarial armature; cell r3 without a basal pale spot (Fig. 2B) ………………………………………………………………………………….7
7(6) Cell r3 with distal pale area reaching the wing margin; base of vein M1 with straddling pale spot (Fig. 2B) ………………………………………………………………………………….C. jamaicensis Edwards
-. Cell r3 with distal pale area without reaching the wing margin; base of vein M1 without straddling pale spot (Fig. 2C) ………………………………………………………………………………….C. poikilonotus Macfie
8(5) Second radial cell with an isolated small round dark spot behind (Fig. 2G) ………………………………………………………………………………….C. dicrourus Wirth & Blanton
-. Second radial cell without an isolated small round dark spot behind 9
9(8) Cell R3 with the distal pale spot meeting wing margin………………………………………………………………………………….10
-. Cell R3 with the distal pale spot not meeting wing margin………………………………………………………………………………….11
10(9) Vein r-m with extensive, pale spot broadly meeting anterior wing margin; cell m1 with 2 small pale spots, the distal no located at the wing margin (Fig. 3A) …………………… C. leopoldoi Ortiz
-. Vein r-m without extensive, pale spot broadly meeting anterior wing margin; cell m1 with 3 small pale spots, the distal located at the wing margin ……………………C. furens (Poey)
11(9) Cell m1 with 3 small pale spots (Fig. 2D)................................................................................ C. paraensis (Goeldi)
Cell m1 with 2 small pale spots......................................................................................................................................... 12
12(11) Second radial cell closed; macrotrichia sparce, only a few in apices of cells r3, m1 and m2 (Fig. 3B) .................................................................................................................................................... C. gabaldoni Ortiz
-. Second radial cell open; macrotrichia more numerous, present at least on distal half of wing (Fig. 2 C)............................................................................................................................... C. poikilonotus Macfie (in part)
Figure 2 Wing, dorsal view. Female: A. Culicoides blantoni; B. Culicoides jamaicensis; C. Culicoides poikilonotus; D. Culicoides paraensis; E. Culicoides foxi; F. Culicoides insignis; G. Culicoides dicrourus. Scale = 0.5 mm. Abbreviations (wing): CuA = anterior branch of cubital veins; M1 = first branch of media; M2 = second branch of media, and M4 = fourth branch of media; m1 = first medial cell, m2 = second medial cell and m4 = fourth medial cell; r-m = radial-medial crossvein; R1 = anterior branch of radius, first longitudinal vein, R3 = lower branch of second branch of radius; r1 = first radial cell, r2 = second radial cell; r3 = third radial cell.
Figure 3 Wing, dorsal view. Female; A. Culicoides leopoldoi; B. Culicoides gabaldoni; C. Stilobezzia coquilletti; D. Stilobezzia kiefferi. Scale = 0.5 mm.
Order Diptera Linnaeus, 1758
Family Ceratopogonidae Newman, 1834
Subfamily Forcipomyiinae Lenz, 1934
Tribe Forcipomyiini Lenz, 1934
Genus Forcipomyia Meigen, 1818
Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) stylifer (Lutz, 1913)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 1 male. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 2: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, slide mounted, deposited in CAIM.
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Oaxaca, Tabasco) to Ecuador, Trinidad, Venezuela and northeastern Argentina.
Remarks
Very common species, widely distributed in the Neotropical region (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007). Huerta and Spinelli (2017) provided the first record from Mexico (Oaxaca).
Subfamily Ceratopogoninae Newman, 1834
Tribe Culicoidini Kieffer, 1911
Genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809
Culicoides (Diphaomyia) blantoniVargas & Wirth, 1955 (Fig. 2A)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 96 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. Personnel of the Health Ministry, 7 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 7 females (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 5 females (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 3: 7 October-2019, 32 females (ethyl alcohol); same data except, 8 October 2019, 30 females (ethyl alcohol); 9 October 2019, 15 females (slide mounted).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Texas), Mexico (Sinaloa, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Morelos, Veracruz, Tabasco).
Remarks
This species was originally described from Tamaulipas, Mexico, including additional series of specimens from Guerrero, San Luis Potosí and Puebla (Vargas & Wirth, 1955). Borkent and Grogan (2009) reported this species from Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Morelos. Huerta et al. (2012) included new records from Veracruz, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí.
Culicoides (Drymodesmyia) jamaicensis Edwards, 1922 (Fig. 2B)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 8 males, 39 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 2 females (ethyl alcohol), 9 October 2019, 6 females (slide mounted), 3 males (slide mounted); same data except, site 2:7 October 2019, 7 females, 1 male (slide mounted); same data except, 8 October 2019, 4 females, 2 males (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 10 females, 2 males (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 5 females (ethyl alcohol); same data except, 8 October 2019, 2 females (ethyl alcohol); 9 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango, 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Texas, Florida), Mexico (Jalisco, México, Veracruz, Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Yucatán), Central America and Caribbean to Colombia and Venezuela.
Remarks
Macfie (1948) included the first record of Culicoides jamaicensis in Mexico from Chiapas. Wirth and Hubert (1960) reported this species from Veracruz. Huerta et al. (2012) provided records from of the states Guerrero, Jalisco, México, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Yucatán.
Culicoides (Drymodesmyia) poikilonotus Macfie (Fig. 2C)
Synonymy:
cacozelusMacfie, 1948: 85 (Mexico)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 1 male, 6 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 8 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 9 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 2: 9 October 2019, 1 male (slide mounted); same data except, site 3: 8 October 2019, 2 females (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Estado de México, Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco), Central America, Venezuela and Trinidad to Brazil.
Remarks
Species originally described from Chiapas, Mexico (Macfie, 1948). This widely distributed in the Neotropical region (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007). Huerta et al. (2012) provided a new record from the Estado de México and Veracruz.
Culicoides (Haematomyidium) paraensis (Goeldi, 1905)
(Fig. 2D)
Synonymy:
undecimpunctatus Kieffer, 1917: 307 (Argentina).
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 25 males, 54 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females, 1 male (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 5 females (ethyl alcohol); same date except, site 2: 7 October 2019, 23 females, 7 males (slide mounted); same data except, 8 October 2019, 12 females, 8 males (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 12 females, 7 males (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 2 males (slide mounted).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Colorado, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin to Louisiana and Florida), Mexico (San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Veracruz, Chiapas, Quintana Roo) to Argentina.
Remarks
This species is considered an important virus vector in the Neotropical region (Hoch et al., 1990; Mellor et al., 2000); with a wide distribution from southern USA (Wirth et al., 1985) to Argentina (Borkent & Grogan, 2009). In Mexico, it was previously reported from San Luis Potosí, Quintana Roo (Blanton & Wirth, 1979), Tabasco and Veracruz (Wirth & Felippe-Bauer, 1989). Huerta et al. (2012) provided the first record from Chiapas and additional records from San Luis Potosí and Veracruz. We include a new locality in state of Tabasco.
Culicoides (Hoffmania) foxi Ortiz, 1950 (Fig. 2E)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 20 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 4 females (ethyl alcohol), 9 October 2019, 6 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 2: 7 October 2019, 3 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 3 females (slide mounted); 9 October 2019, 2 females (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Veracruz, Tabasco, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas) to Bolivia, Puerto Rico to northeastern Argentina.
Remarks
Very common species in the Neotropical region. Previous records known from southern Mexico (Aitken et al., 1975; Wirth & Blanton, 1974). Spinelli et al. (1993) reported this species for the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Guerrero. Huerta et al. (2012) included new local records from Veracruz and Oaxaca.
Culicoides (Hoffmania) insignis Lutz, 1913 (Fig. 2F)
Synonymy:
inamollae Fox and Hoffman, 1944: 110 (Puerto Rico).
painteri Fox, 1946: 257 (Honduras).
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 1 male, 24 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 3 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 1 male (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 6 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 2: 7 October 2019, 5 females (ethyl alcohol); same data except, 8 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 9 females (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacan, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Alabama, Georgia, Florida), Mexico (Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Nayarit, Morelos, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Yucatán), Central American and Caribbean to central Argentina.
Remarks
This species is widely distributed in the Neotropical region (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007), including part from the south USA (Borkent & Grogan, 2009). It was previously known in Mexico from Chiapas and Yucatán (Blanton & Wirth, 1979; Borkent & Spinelli, 2007; Macfie, 1948). Huerta et al. (2012) provided records from Tabasco and Veracruz. We report a new locality in the state of Tabasco.
Culicoides (Mataemyia) dicrourus Wirth & Blanton, 1955
(Fig. 2G)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 2 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 9 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females (slide mounted deposited in CAIM).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Tabasco), Costa Rica to Ecuador.
Remarks
This species was originally reported from Mexico by Wirth and Blanton (1959) without any locality data. The Neotropical catalogue by Wirth (1974) only includes the distribution record from Panama. Current reported distribution includes a range from Costa Rica to Ecuador (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007). We confirmed the distribution of this species in Mexico from state of Tabasco.
Culicoides leopoldoi Ortiz, 1951 (Fig. 3A)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 1 male, 21 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 1 female, 1 male (slide mounted); 9 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol); same data except, site 2: 7 October 2019, 2 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 10 females (ethyl alcohol); same data except, 8 October 2019, 2 females (slide mounted); 9 October 2019, 5 females (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Oaxaca, Tabasco), Guatemala and Belize to Bolivia and northeastern Argentina, Trinidad.
Remarks
This species was originally reported in Mexico, based on specimens identified by Wirth W. Wirth from the state of Chiapas (Vargas, 1954). Wirth and Blanton (1959) later reported specimens from Tapachula, Chiapas. Wirth (1974) in his catalogue of the Americas south of the USA reported the distribution of this species as restricted to Panama, Venezuela, and Brazil. Huerta et al. (2012) provided new records of this species from Oaxaca.
Culicoides gabaldoni Ortiz, 1954 (Fig. 3B)
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 17 males, 31 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 7 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 1 female (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); same data except, 8 October 2019, 2 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 2: 7 October 2019, 11 females, 13 males (slide mounted); same data except, 8 October 2019, 14 females, 3 males (slide mounted), 9 October 2019, 1 female, 1 male (slide mounted); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol); same data except, 9 October 2019, 1 female (ethyl alcohol).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Mexico (Tabasco, Veracruz, Oaxaca) to Ecuador, Venezuela, Trinidad, Brazil, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina.
Remarks
Previously known members of the leoni species group from Mexico were reported by Wirth and Blanton (1973). This species is widely distributed in the Neotropical region (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007). In Mexico, it was previously known only from Tabasco (Wirth & Blanton, 1973; Wirth et al., 1988) and more recently from Oaxaca and Veracruz (Huerta et al., 2012). We reported a new locality record in the state of Tabasco.
Subfamily Ceratopogoninae Newman, 1834
Tribe Ceratopogonini Newman, 1834
Genus Stilobezzia Kieffer, 1911
Stilobezzia (Stilobezzia) coquilletti Kieffer, 1905 (Fig. 3C)
Synonymy:
picta (Coquillett), 1905: 60 (Ceratopogon) (preoccupied by Sphaeromyias pictus (Meigen), 1818. USA (Virginia).
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 4 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 8 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 1 female (slide mounted deposited in CAIM); 9 October 2019, 3 females (slide mounted); same data except, site 3: 7 October 2019, 1 female (slide mounted).
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Maryland, Virginia, Illinois south to Florida and Louisiana), Mexico (San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatán) to Panama, and South America in Trinidad and Brazil.
Remarks
A common species widely distributed in Neotropical region, including part of USA (Maryland, Virginia, Illinois south to Florida and Louisiana (Borkent & Grogan 2009). Wirth (1953) included a first record for Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Chiapas), Huerta (1996) reported this species from the locality of Esquipula (Chiapas), and first record from Yucatán (Huerta, 2002) and Veracruz (Huerta et al., 2012).
Stilobezzia (Stilobezzia) kiefferi Lane, 1947 (Fig. 3D)
Synonymy:
punctipesWirth, 1953: 79. USA (Florida).
Taxonomic summary
Material examined: 1 male, 2 females. Mexico, Tabasco, Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, site 1: 9 October 2019, CDC trap, coll. personnel of the Health Ministry, 2 females, 1 male (slide mounted deposited in CAIM).
Remarks
This species was previously recorded from Mexico from the state of Tamaulipas (Wirth, 1953), Yucatán (Huerta, 2002), Jalisco and Oaxaca (Huerta et al., 2012) and Tabasco (Cazorla, 2016). We provide a new locality record from Tabasco.
New record: Cunduacán, locality Huimango 2nd section, sector La Ceiba, Tabasco, Mexico (Fig. 1).
Distribution. USA (Florida), Mexico (Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Yucatán), Belize, Panama, Brazil, Jamaica and Argentina.
Discussion
This study increases the biting midge fauna from Tabasco State to 12 species of Culicoides, 2 species of Stilobezzia and 1 species of Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea). However, the study on the fauna of ceratogoponids in the state is still limited (Table 1), and given the different types of vegetation and ecological environments of the state, it is very probable that many more species could be described in the future.
Various Culicoides spp. of medical and veterinary importance are reported (v. gr., C. furens, C. insignis, C. paraensis, and C pusillus). These species are recognized vectors, for being involved in the transmission of viruses and filarial nematodes in the Neotropical region (Borkent & Spinelli, 2007). Entomological surveillance is relevant to detect different species in order to determinate the distribution specific for localities.
