Two new black fly species of the Simulium (Gomphostilbia) asakoae species-group (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Taiwan

• Main Authors: Takaoka, Hiroyuki, Low, Van Lun, Huang, Yao-Te, Fukuda, Masako, Ya'cob, Zubaidah
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2021
• Subjects: GE Environmental Sciences; RV Botanic, Thomsonian, and eclectic medicine
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/28126/

Two new black fly species, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) kaohsiungense and S. (G.) shoufengense, are described from females, males and pupae in Taiwan. These new species are placed in the S. asakoae species-group. Simulium (G.) kaohsiungense sp. nov. is characterized by a combination of the elongate female sensory vesicle, male upper-eye (large) facets in 15 vertical columns and 15 or 16 horizontal rows, male hind basitarsus 1.02-1.15 times the width of the hind femur, and widened pupal terminal hooks. These characteristics distinguish this new species from most species of the S. asakoae species-group. Simulium (G.) shoufengense sp. nov. is similar in the female and male to S. (G.) asakoae Takaoka & Davies originally described from Peninsular Malaysia but is distinguished from the latter species in the pupa by the combined length of the primary and secondary stalks of the dorsal triplet of gill filaments as long as or longer than the common basal stalk of the gill, and dorsum of abdominal segments 1 and 2 not darkened. The species previously regarded in Taiwan as S. (G.) metatarsale Brunetti, originally described from India, is morphologically and molecularly identified as S. (G.) asakoae.