Five new Indian species of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) with a key to the adult males

Abstract

Five new species of biting midges, Dasyhelea (Dasyhelea) incisurasp. nov., D. (D.) quasifulcillatasp. nov., D. (D.) trigonasp. nov., D. (Sebessia) falxasp. nov. and D. (S.) foliasp. nov. are described and illustrated based on adult males. The new species are compared and contrasted to their congeners; important morphological characters are displayed. All specimens were collected from the Deltaic Proper of Gangetic West Bengal, India. An illustrated key to the adult males of the subgenera Dasyhelea s.str. and Sebessia from India is presented. Short accounts on ecological notes of the midges are also provided.