Culicoides Latreille and Leptoconops Skuse biting midges of the southwestern United States with emphasis on the Canyonlands of southeastern Utah (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Author Phillips, Robert A. 2962 Desert Road Moab, UT 84532 USA text Insecta Mundi 2022 2022-01-28 2022 907 1 214 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.6391684 1942-1354 6391684 CBD29188-143B-44DF-BE21-1654D50D8621 Culicoides ( Silvicola ) species E (Fig. 186) Diagnosis. ( Tables 14 , 15 ) Wing pattern extensive, with distal stripes and pale spots; pale spot over at least distal half of r 2 ; cua 1 without central dark spot; eyes contiguous for 1 ommatidium diameter; superior transverse suture present; palpal segment 3 with distinct wide shallow sensory pit, scattered sensilla lacking; scutum without evident pattern; scutellum with 14 setae; tibiae without pale bands; fore and hind tarsomeres with apical spines; three developed spermathecae, unequal; male unknown. Distribution. A single female was collected with a CO 2 -baited trap on 22 April 2003 in northwest Moab at 38.58296°N 109.56663°W and 1214 m elevation in Grand County, Utah . Adult behavior. The mandibular and lacinial teeth and collection in a CO 2 -baited trap indicate it feeds on vertebrate blood; however, its hosts are unknown. Remarks. Were it not for the apical fore and hind tarsal spines, which are not present on any C . lahontan examined (including another specimen with three developed spermathecae), the specimen would be identified as an aberrant C . lahontan . This suggests it may be another species not matching others in North America; however, the third spermatheca suggests the possibility that the tarsomere spines are also abnormally developed and it is not a new species. See subgenus Silvicola discussion. Subgenus Wirthomyia Vargas