Wyeomyia felicia
Creators: name: Ribeiro, Paulino Siqueira
name: Motta, Monique Albuquerque
name: Seiblitz, Giulia Caminha
name: Pereira, Glauber Rocha
name: Galvão, Cleber
name: Pecor, David Brooks
name: Lourenço-De-Oliveira, Ricardo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Culicidae
Wyeomyia
Wyeomyia felicia

description: Wyeomyia felicia (Dyar & Núñez Tovar, 1927)
Dendromyia (Decamyia) felicia Dyar & Núñez Tovar, 1927: 3, 4 (Syntypes ♀, ♂ G: Tío Julián, Rancho Grande, Guamitas and Choroní (Aragua State), Venezuela.
Dendromyia (Decamyia) felicia of Dyar & Núñez Tovar 1928: 90, 91 (♀, ♂ G; coll., bion.); Dyar 1928: 82, 83, 595 (redescription of ♀, ♂ *; bion.); Stone & Knight 1957: 123 (lectotype design., type info.).
Wyeomyia (Dendromyia) felicia of Lane & Cerqueira 1942: 541, 589, 608 (key to subgenera and ♂ G; subg. placement.; bion.); Lane 1945: 148, in part (redescription of ♀ from El Tucuche, Trinidad; Lane 1953: 871, 979, 981, in part (key to ♂ G; redescription of ♀, ♂; rec., type info.); Belkin et al. 1965: 73, 76, 87, 94 (type info., bion.); Navarro et al. 1994: 321 (rec., bion.).
Wyeomyia felicia of Mattingly 1971: 16, pl. 10, (key P*); Seifert 1980: 687–688, 690–695 (bion.).
Wyeomyia (Decamyia) felicia group of Heinemann et al. 1980: 185, 187–189, 194–198, 201, 204, 218, 222, 225, 227, 229–232, 235, 237, 241, 242, 247, 255, 267, 271–273, 279, 280, 283 (Trinidad, Tobago; coll. rec., bion.).
Wyeomyia (Decamyia) felicia of Heinemann & Belkin 1978b: 369, 370, 372–374, 376, 377, 380, 382, 395 (Venezuela; coll. rec., bion.); Navarro et al. 2007: 7, 13 (biogeography); Harbach & Kitching 1998: 340, 369 (phylogeny); Harbach & Peyton 1990: 16 (revalidation of subgenus Decamyia); Motta et al. 2007: 593, 594, 596, 598, 600, 606–609, 619 (phylogeny); Talaga et al. 2017: 9 (phylogeny); Ribeiro et al. 2020: 291, 292, 307, 308 (tax. review); Ribeiro et al. 2021: 534, 550 (tax. review).
Female. Small mosquito. Head: Vertex and occiput covered with decumbent dark brown scales with bluish reflections, postgena with white scales; ocular line with some white scales near postgena and brown setae; 2 long, brown interocular setae. Interocular space narrow, without setae and scales. Clypeus and frons without setae and scales, slightly pruinose; clypeus brown, ovate, noticeably tapered apically. Maxillary palpus attached at half-length of clypeus, with 2 palpomeres, short, similar in length to clypeus, dark brown-scaled, brown setae at apex. Proboscis: Length 1. 9 mm, slightly expanded dorsoventrally at apex; dorsal and ventral surfaces dark brown-scaled; 8 brown short and long basal labial setae, labellum with light brown integument, covered with minute pale setae. Antenna: As long as proboscis; pedicel brown, pruinose. Flagellum moderately verticillate, whorls with brown setae. Thorax: Integument light brown. Scutum brown-scaled with predominantly bluish reflections; anterior promontory with few white scales and 9 brown setae of different sizes; acrostichal and dorsocentral setae absent. Supraalar and antealar areas with total of 14 brown setae. Scutellum covered with brown scales with bluish reflections limited to lobes; median lobe with about 6 brown setae of different sizes, lateral lobes with 5,6 brown setae of different sizes. Mesopostnotum brown, slightly pruinose, with a tuft of about 7 light brown setae, without scales. Antepronotum covered with brown scales with weak violaceous reflections except for a few white scales on the ventral apex, distinctively well separated from antepronotum of opposite side; a row of approximately 11 strong dark brown setae dorsally. Postpronotum mainly covered with white scales; brown scales restricted to dorsal area. Thoracic pleura covered with pearly white scales; anterior lateral margin of mesokatepisternum, mesomeron, paratergite, metapleural suture and metapostnotum nude. Pleural chaetotaxy as follows: 2 light brown prespiracular setae, long, extending beyond spiracle; postspiracular setae absent; 6 upper proepisternal setae, yellowish, long; 3 lower mesokatepisternal setae, yellowish, long; 2 yellowish setae above upper margin of mesomeron; upper mesokatepisternal setae absent, prealar area with about 6 yellowish setae; 13 yellowish upper mesepimeral setae, nearly in a row. Halter: Integument yellowish; scabellum and pedicel brown-scaled dorsally, capitellum brown-scaled. Wing: Length approximately 3. 7 mm, scales brown with bluish reflections. Dorsal scales: veins R 1 –R 3, R 4+5, M 1 and M 2 with spatulate scales with rounded ends; M with long, spatulate scales; M 3+4 with decumbent scales; CuA with only decumbent scales; 1A with moderately broad scales. Upper calypter with 3 brown setae. Alula with 9 simple, brown setae. Legs: Coxae and trochanters with pearly white scales and long yellowish setae. Femora, tibiae and tarsi mainly dark-scaled; ventroposterior margins of femora and tibiae white-scaled, fore-, mid- and hindtarsomeres 1–5 entirely dark-scaled. Ungues simple. Abdomen: Terga covered with brown spatulate scales with bluish green reflections. Tergum I with a tuft of yellowish setae forming a row on posterolateral margin. Sterna covered with whitish scales, color on sides separated in nearly a straight line. Genitalia (Fig. 1): Tergum VIII (Fig. 1A) wider than long, covered with minute spicules and spatulate scales; distal margin convex, with approximately 45 setae of different sizes. Sternum VIII (Fig. 1B) wider than long, covered with minute spicules and spatulate scales, lateral margins rounded, distal margin slightly V-shaped, with approximately 49 setae of different sizes distributed on distal portion. Tergum IX (Fig. 1C) narrow and convex, covered with minute spicules, with setae restricted to lobes; lobes weakly defined with a group of 3,4 slender setae in line on each. Insula (Fig. 1D) rounded, covered with small spicules, with 12 strong setae on margin. Postgenital lobe (Fig. 1E, F) almost reaching apices of the cerci, wider than long, dorsal surface with 2 vertical rows of 2 setae, most apical setae longer; ventral surface covered with minute spicules, numerous short setae with conspicuous alveoli distributed from base to apex toward middle to lateral area. Cerci covered (Fig. 1E, F) with minute spicules; apex flat, expanded in inner portion. Spermatheca with 3 spherical capsules of different sizes.
Male. Similar to female except for the following characteristics: Head: Vertex and occiput brown-scaled with a vertical line of white scales more widespread on vertex between the eyes, ocular line of distinct white scales. Proboscis: Length 1. 6 mm, slightly expanded dorsoventrally at apex; dorsal surface brown-scaled, ventral surface with a line of white scales extending from base to approximately 0.75 toward apex. Antenna: Slightly more verticillate than in female. Thorax: Anterior promontory with about 17 brown setae of different sizes. Supraalar and antealar areas with 26–36 brown setae. Scutellum with median lobe bearing 4–8 long and 10 short setae, lateral lobes with 5,6 long and 5 short setae. Mesopostnotum with a tuft of 6–8 brown setae.Antepronotum with approximately 12 strong, dark brown setae dorsally. Pleural chaetotaxy as follows: 1–3 yellowish prespiracular setae; postspiracular setae absent; 5–9 yellowish, long upper proepisternal setae; 5,6 lower mesokatepisternal setae, 2 yellowish setae above upper margin of mesomeron; upper mesokatepisternal setae absent, 5,6 yellowish prealar setae; lower mesepimeral setae absent; 9–18 pale yellowish upper mesepimeral setae, nearly in a row. Wing: Length approximately 3.0 mm. Legs: Fore- and hindtarsomeres 1–5 dark-scaled; midtarsomere 1 with white scaling on the ventroposterior surface; midtarsomeres 2–5 entirely dark-scaled. Ungues simple. Genitalia (Figs 2, 3): Tergum VIII (Fig. 2A) wider than long; invaginated in middle distally, nearly forming 2 lobes, covered with small spicules and spatulate scales in median area; 67–106 long setae distributed on distal third, gradually longer from middle and sides. Sternum VIII (Fig. 2B) wider than long; distal third covered with small spicules and spatulate scales; 31–41(31) setae of different lengths mostly distributed on distal margin. Tergum and sternum IX (Fig. 3F, G) fused laterally, forming a complete ring. Tergum IX (Fig. 3F) with lobes slightly defined, almost level; interlobar space very small, bearing an almost continuous line of 14–19(14) weakly chitinized setae shaped like elongate petals, with almost uniform width throughout their lengths. Sternum IX (Fig. 3G) narrow with a medial triangular expansion produced between base of gonocoxites. Proctiger (in lateral view) with basal sclerotization (tergum X) without setae. Paraproct (Fig. 3E) sclerotized dorsoapically, narrow, with flattened fin-like process on sternal margin at base; apex with 1,2(1) teeth close together, apical tooth pronounced and curved like a penguin’s beak; cercal setae absent. Gonocoxite (Fig. 3A) short, rounded. Basal margin rounded; mesal junction with phallosome being far distal. Tergal area spiculate, with 23–28(26) setae of different lengths; tergomesal seta absent; basal mesal lobe narrow, small, with 9–12 fine setae similar in length. Gonostylus (Figs 3A‒C; 4) short, approximately 0.72 length of gonocoxite, enlarged at base, basal third with spicules, narrow in middle, apex almost 2.0 times wider than width of basal part, divided into 2 principal lobes: lobe A digitiform, well differentiated from lobe M along its entire length, much larger at base and tapered towards apex; apex with 1 elongate, strong, sclerotized seta, resembling a curve-tipped claw, 2 single minute setae inserted proximally; lobe E almost indistinguishable, arising between lobes A and M, not detached, distal margin with 2 single short setae; lobe M wide with roughly conical apex bearing approximately 14 strong, well-chitinized setae of different sizes, middle third with a tuft of fine setae distributed along tergal edge, basal third with 12–17 short, thin setae scattered mainly on tergal surface. Aedeagus (Fig. 3H) ovate, wider basally; submedian tergal arms joined at midline; apical tergal arms very close, not fused, slightly serrate at apex; median sternal plate membranous, basally pointed and short, apically prominent in middle. Basal piece (Fig. 3D, H) of phallosome with a distal, prominent, sclerotized columnar process distally fused to gonocoxite, distally rounded and dilated, with 2 distinct apical insertions from which emerge 2 strong, long, slightly curved membranous modified leaf-like setae, expanded apically, usually with end pointing caudally.
Pupa (Fig. 5). Position and character of setae as figured; numbers of branches in Table 1. Cephalothorax: Tanned, scutum slightly darker. Seta 1-CT sigmoid, long, double, hooked at apex; seta 2-CT normally double; setae 3,4-CT normally triple; seta 5-CT strongly developed, weakly aciculate, usually triple; seta 6-CT with 2 or 3 branches; seta 7-CT with 2–4 branches; seta 8-CT with 2–4 branches; setae 9,10-CT usually double; seta 11-CT with 1,2 branches; seta 12-CT normally double. Trumpet: Moderately tanned, index 3.2–4.7 (mean 3.9) (width measured at mid-length). Abdomen: Tanned, with darkish pigmentation at base of all terga. Seta 0-I–VIII single, seta 1-I well-developed, dendritic, 1-II with 4–9 branches emerging at different levels, 1-III with 3,4 branches, 1-IV with 2–4 branches, 1-V,VI with 2 or 3 branches, 1-VII usually single; seta 2-I normally double, 2-II,III normally single, 2-IV–VII single, inserted posteriorly; seta 3-I–III single, 3-II,III similar in development, 3-IV,V with 2–4 branches, 3-VI usually double, 3-VII single; seta 4-I with 3–7 branches, 4-II with 3,4 branches, 4-III normally triple, 4-IV,V with 2–4 branches, 4-VI normally double, 4-VII single, 4-VIII usually single; seta 5-I with 2–5 branches, 5-II with 2,3 branches, 5-III with 3–6 branches, 5-IV–VI single, slightly aciculate, longer than combined length of segments V–VII, 5-VII normally double; seta 6-I–II single, 6-III–V normally double, 6-VI with 1,2 branches, 6- VII in dorsal position, usually double; seta 7-I with 2–4 branches, 7-II usually triple, 7-III with 1–3 branches, 7-IV normally double, 7-V with 2–4 branches, 7-VI normally single, 7-VII single; seta 8-III–V,VII normally triple; seta 9-I normally single, 9-II–VI single, 9-VII with 16–20 branches, aciculate, slightly longer than segment VIII, 9-VIII with 14–22 branches, aciculate, slightly shorter than paddle; seta 10-II–VI normally double, 10-VII usually single; seta 11-I normally triple, 11-II with 1,3 branches, 11-III,IV normally single, 11-V with 1–3 branches, 11-VI double, 11-VII with 2,3 branches; seta 14 single. Paddle: Lightly tanned, slightly longer than segment VIII, slender, apex pointed, paddle index 2.2–2.8 (mean 2.3) densely fringed all along margin. Male genital lobe: Tanned, shorter than paddle, about 0.67–0.87 length of paddle, narrow, not extending laterally beyond inner margin of midrib. Male median caudal lobe: Tanned, shorter than genital lobe.
Fourth-instar larva (Figs 6, 7). Position and character of setae as figured; numbers of branches in Table 2. Head: Slightly wider than long, lightly tanned. Collar absent, occipital foramen with a slit-like extension on either side. Hypostomal suture complete. Dorsomentum with 1 central tooth slightly larger than lateral teeth on either side (11–13), lateral teeth similar in development, except most lateral tooth sometimes very small. Maxilla (not figured): Rounded; maxillary brush long, similar in length to seta 4-Mx; apical tooth slightly bent mesad, similar in development to teeth of laciniarastrum. Laciniarastrum 1 with a row of 7,10 teeth of similar development; dense group of long setae close to laciniarastrum 1. Maxillary palpus not fused to maxillary body, with 3 short digitiform setae; seta 1-Mx single, stout, forked at apex; seta 2-Mx single, short; seta 4-Mx single, pointed, long, inserted on anterior area. Mandible (not figured): Ventral tooth 0 prominent, larger than ventral teeth 1–3, ventral tooth 4 fine, elongate; mandibular sweeper divided into 2 groups of long setae. Antenna: Short, slender; seta 1-A single, inserted on apical third; seta 2-A tapering toward apex, approximately same length as seta 1A; setae 3–6-A single, stout. Seta 1-C single, elongate, stout; setae 3–6-C single, 4-C slightly longer than seta 1-C, 5-C short, approximately 0.5 length of 4-C, 6-C approximately same length as seta 7-C; seta 7-C double; seta 8-C normally double; setae 9,10-C approximately same length, 9-C usually with 3 branches, 10-C with 2,3 branches; seta 11-C usually with 5 branches; seta 12-C normally triple, approximately same length as seta 13-C; seta 13-C double; seta 14-C normally double, similar in length to 13-C; seta 15-C usually triple, short, approximately 0.5 length of 14-C, inserted almost in line with 14-C, below anterior margin of labiogula. Thorax: Seta 0-P with 6–9 branches, approximately same length as seta 14-P; setae 1,2-P single, approximately same length; seta 3-P with 2–4 branches; setae 4–7-P inserted on plate, 4-P with 10–14 branches, strongly aciculate from mid-length to apex, 5,6-P single, slightly aciculate; seta 7-P usually with 12 branches aciculate at mid-length; seta 8-P usually with 10 branches; setae 9–12-P inserted on same sclerotized plate, 9-P with 4,5 branches, slightly aciculate, 10-P double, slightly aciculate, 11-P filiform, single, 12-P double, slightly aciculate; seta 14-P usually with 4 branches. Seta 1-M with 3 branches; setae 2,3-M single; seta 4-M normally double; setae 5,6-M single, slightly aciculate; seta 7-M double; seta 8-M usually with 6 branches, short, 0.5 length of setae 5,6-M; setae 9–12-M inserted on same sclerotized plate, clustered together, 9-M normally double, aciculate, 10-M single, slightly aciculate, 11-M single, filiform, developed similar to seta 11-P, 12-M single, aciculate; seta 13- M usually with 6,8 branches; seta 14-M usually with 7,8 branches. Seta 1-T with 3,4 branches, short, 0.3 length of seta 2-T; seta 2-T with 1,2 branches; seta 3-T with 2,3 branches; setae 4,5-T triple, approximately same length, both short, 5-T approximately 0.75 length of seta 6-T; seta 6-T double; seta 7-T normally with 14 branches, aciculate, inserted on sclerotized tubercle; seta 8-T with 3,4 branches; setae 9–11-T inserted on same plate, 9-T normally with 10 branches, aciculate, 10-T single, aciculate, 11-T single, short, spiniform, stronger than seta 11-P,M; seta 12-T single, slightly aciculate; seta 13-T inserted on sclerotized plate, usually with 9 branches, aciculate. Abdomen: Seta 0-II–VII single, 0-III–VII short, approximately 0.5 length of seta 2-III–VII; seta 1-I–VIII well-developed, 1-I,II with 4 or 5 branches, 1-III,V with 3–5 branches, 1-VI,VII with 5 or 6 branches; seta 2-I with 1–3 branches, short, approximately 0.5 length of 1-I, inserted mesad and anterior to seta 3-I; seta 2-II–VII single, inserted mesad and anterior to setae 1-II–VII and 4-II–VII; seta 3-I triple, anterior to seta 4, 3-II–VI posterior to seta 4, 3-II double, 3-III,IV normally double, approximately same length as seta 4-III,IV, 3-V single, long, 3.1 length of seta 4-V, 3- VI triple, 3-VII single, long, 3.5 length of seta 1-VII; seta 4-I normally with 5 branches, 4-III–VI inserted mesad to seta 1-III–VI; seta 5-I–VI well developed, with branches emerging at different levels, 5-I,II with 3,4 branches, approximately same length as seta 1-I,II, 5-III,IV with 4,5 branches, approximately same length as seta 1-III,IV, 5- V with 3–6 branches, 5-VI normally with 4,5 branches, 5-VII approximately same length as seta 4-VII; seta 6-I,II long, normally with 6 branches, well developed, aciculate, 6-III–VI well developed, 6-III double, slightly aciculate, 6-IV–VI with 2,3 branches, slightly aciculate, 6-VII single, long, 2.0 length of seta 7-VII; seta 7-I–II branched, well developed, aciculate, 7-IV–VI small, branched, approximately same length as seta 8-IV–VI, inserted anterior to seta 10-III–VI; seta 8-II usually single, long, 2.0 length of seta 3-II and inserted lateral to it, 8-III–V short, branched, lateral in position, 8-III normally single or double, short, 0.42 length of seta 3-III, 8-IV usually double, short, 0.3 length of seta 3-IV, 8-V,VI branched, short, approximately 0.5 length of seta 4-V,VI; seta 9-I,II usually single, approximately same length as seta 10-I,II, 9-III long, 2.0 length of seta 11-III, 9-IV–VI approximately same length as seta 10-IV–VI; seta 10-I branched, inserted posterior to seta 11-I, 10-II–VI inserted lateral to seta 11-II–VI; seta 11-I–V branched, 11-I inserted mesad to seta 10-I; seta 12-II–VI inserted mesally; seta 13-I–VI branched, 13-I long, 1.4 length of seta 10-I, 13-II inserted anterior to seta 12-II, 13-IV–VI aligned and inserted posterior to seta 12-IV– VI. Segment VIII: Comb with 35‒56 elongated scales of different lengths, roughly arranged in 3 or 4 rows, scales with rounded apices regularly bordered with delicate spicules (Fig. 7); seta 1-VIII much less developed than seta 1- II–VII, with branches of different lengths, slightly longer than seta 3-VIII; seta 2-VIII single; seta 3-VIII branched, short, approximately 0.5 length of seta 4-VIII; seta 4-VIII single; seta 5-VIII single, approximately same length as seta 4-VIII. Siphon: Moderately long; index 3.2–4.0 (mean 3.5) (width measured at base); gradually narrowed in apical third, tanned, more pigmented at base. Pecten with 4–6(5) elongated spines aligned in a posterolateral row; seta 1-S single, inserted near base, slightly aciculate; 2,3(2) pairs of setae 1a-S, single, slightly aciculate, inserted at mid-length of siphon along pecten; 3–5(5) pairs of seta 2a-S, each seta single, frayed at apex; seta 2-S with slightly bent apically. Segment X: Saddle tanned; setae 1–3-X similar in development, aciculate, 1-X double, 2-X normally with 4 or 5 branches, 3-X double; seta 4-X normally with 5 branches.
Systematics. Wyeomyia felicia exhibits all of the diagnostic characters of the subgenus Decamyia in the larva, pupa and adult stages, including the male genitalia (Harbach 2022; Harbach & Peyton 1990; Ribeiro et al. 2020, 2021).Adult females of Wy. felicia are easily distinguished from those of Wy. anthica Ribeiro, Pavan, da Silva, Galvão & Lourenço-de-Oliveira & Motta, 2021, Wy. pseudopecten Dyar & Knab, 1906, Wy. rorotai Senevet, Chabelard & Abonnenc, 1942 and Wy. ulocoma (Theobald, 1903) by having all tarsomeres entirely dark-scaled, while the ventroposterior surface of the tarsomeres have white-scaling that varies in extend in these previously described species. The male genitalia of Wy. felicia differ from those of the other Decamyia by the absence of the tergomesal setae on the gonocoxite; by having the basal plate of the phallosome with a pair of slightly curved, very apically expanded leaf-like setae; tergum IX with almost flat, very small interlobar space, with elongate, differentiated setae of nearly uniform width throughout their length, inserted almost in a continuous line on the lobes. In contrast, Wy. anthica, Wy. pseudopecten, Wy. rorotai and Wy. ulocoma have tergomesal setae on the gonocoxite, the basal plate of the phallosome bears narrow or only moderately expanded setae that are clearly sigmoid (Wy. rorotai) or bent (Wy. ulocoma and Wy. anthica), except in Wy. pseudopecten where they are almost straight and tergum IX with evident interlobar space, with moderately elongate setae expanded toward the apex. Unlike Wy. anthica, Wy. pseudopecten, Wy. rorotai and Wy. ulocoma, where lobe C of the gonostylus is quite distinct, it is indiscernible, probably fused to lobe M, in Wy. felicia.
The adults of Wy. felicia we examined have a light brown thoracic pleural integument, which contrasts with the yellowish coloration reported in the original description of the species, and subsequent redescriptions (Dyar & Núñez Tovar 1927; Dyar 1928; Lane 1945; Lane 1953). Our hypothesis regarding the difference in color of the pleural integument is that it may be due to the length of time since preservation of the specimens.
The pupa of Wy. felicia is similar to that of other currently recognized species of Decamyia, whose morphological characters have been illustrated and/or described in detail. Accordingly, the pupa of Wy. felicia has seta 2-II about 0.15 the length of seta 3-II and seta 2-III–VI usually inserted mesally, while Wy. anthica has seta 2-II about 0.66 the length of seta 3-II and seta 2-III–VI normally inserted laterally, and Wy. ulocoma has seta 2-II about 0.23 the length of seta 3-II. Wyeomyia felicia differs from Wy. rorotai in the shorter length of pupal seta 5-VI, which considerably exceeds the length of segment VII in Wy. felicia and does not reach the apical margin of this segment in Wy. rorotai.
The larva of Wy. felicia can be easily distinguished from those of Wy. anthica and Wy. ulocoma by having setae 11-P,M and 0-III–VI single, which are branched in the latter two species. Although the larvae of both Wy. felicia and Wy. rorotai have seta 11-P,M single, they can be distinguished because Wy. felicia has seta 14-C shorter than twice the length of seta 15-C, seta 1-P single, seta 8-M well developed, approximately 0.5 the length of seta 5-M, seta 2-II–VI single, seta 12-VI twice the length of seta 13-VI and the pecten with a row of only 4–6 spines. In contrast, Wy. rorotai has seta 14-C quite elongate, around four times the length of seta 15-C, seta 1-P branched (mode 5,6 branches), seta 8-M moderately short, nearly 0.25 the length of seta 5-M, seta 2-II–VI branched (mode 4,5 branches), seta 12-VI about 0.7 the length of seta 13-VI and the pecten with numerous (9–28) spines not in a distinct row.
Bionomics. Based on the literature, among the species of Decamyia, Wy. felicia seems to be the one with the greatest ecological plasticity for larval habitats, with collections made in various phytotelmata, such as leaf axils of the elephant ear plants, flower bracts and stalks of Heliconia, epiphytic bromeliads, palm leaves, fallen palm leaves and banana leaf axils (Dyar & Núñez Tovar 1927; Dyar & Núñez Tovar 1928; Dyar 1928; Heinemann & Belkin 1978b; Heinemann et al. 1980). Navarro et al. (1994) found Wy. felicia in Heliconia caribaea in the Sierra de San Luiz mountain range at an altitude of 990 m, and Seifert & Seifert (1979) and Seifert (1980) also collected the species in two species of Heliconia (H. aurea and H. bihai) growing on the Cordillera de la Costa mountain chain. In contrast, when investigating the frequency of Culicidae in phytotelmata in a lowland rainforest in eastern Venezuela, Lounibos & Machado-Allison (1993) did not find immature forms of Wy. felicia developing in H. caribaea, a species very often visited by gravid Wy. ulocoma. Seifert (1980) and Seifert & Barrera (1981) made several observations on the biology of the immature stages of Wy. felicia, including that the immature stages of Wy. felicia develop in Heliconia flower bracts of intermediate age.
The biting behaviour of Wy. felicia is poorly known. Rubio-Palis et al. (2019) reported capturing Wy. felicia using human bait in the Cauca River basin, Venezuela. Juan-Carlos Navarro (pers. comm.) reported that Wy. felicia bite humans with high frequency only when inside patches of Heliconia with high plant densities in Venezuela, but females stop attacking once the person moves only a few meters away from these patches.
Distribution. Despite the relatively high plasticity concerning its larval habitat, Wy. felicia seems to have a quite restricted geographic distribution. According to Heinemann & Belkin (1978b), Heinemann et al. (1980) and Harbach (2022), it has been recorded only in Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. The records of Wy. felicia in Panama, Nicaragua and Brazil listed in Wilkerson et al. (2021) need verification. For example, the only mention of the possible occurrence of this species in Brazil (GBIF 2021) is a mistake. It refers to a damaged pinned female deposited in the Neotropical Mosquito Collection, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, that had no collection data (place and date of collection, nor collector) and whose external morphology and characters of the genitalia do not match with those of Wy. felicia. Besides, there are no records of Wy. felicia in the collections carried out by Heinemann & Belkin (1977a, b, 1978a, c, 1979) in Panama or Nicaragua, nor in any other country in the Caribbean and in Central and South America other than Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.
Material examined. Seventy-two specimens (33♂, 4♂ G, 2G ♂, 28♀, 1♀ G, 4LePeG ♂). LECTOTYPE ♂ (no. 1241679) with dissected genitalia on slide, dissected during this study, designated by Stone & Knight, 1957 (NMNH): VENEZUELA, Tio Jùlian, July 8, 1927, M. Núñez Tovar. “Elephant ear”; 2 PARALECTOTYPES (same data as the lectotype), 1♂ and 1♀ with type labels, but without ID numbers; 6♂, 1♀, same data except July 5; 1♂ mounted on slide, with genitalia not dissected, same data except July 8; 1♀, same data except July 14, collected in yellow H. bihai; 4♀, same data except August 6; 5♂, 3♀, same data except August 8; 3♀, same data except August 21; 1♂ G mounted on slide, with genitalia not dissected, same data except Bamboo Villegos, August 24; 1♂ G (no. 01240779), 1♀ G (no. 01240776), same data except Choroní, July 14; 4♂, same data except Rancho Grande, July 2; 2♂, 1♀, same data, except July 6; 1♂, 3♀, same data except July 9; 1♂, 4♀, same data except July 11; 2♂, 2♀, same data except July 14; 1G ♂ (no. 2320), same data (without date); 2♂, same data except Guamitas, July 1; 4♂, 1♀, same data except July 3; 1♂, same data except July 5; 3♂, same data, except July 8; 3♀, same data except August 26, collected in red H. bihai; 1♀, same data except August 28; 1♂, same data except Bijao Guamitas, collected in yellow H. bihai; 4LePeG ♂ (nos. VZ 80-21; VZ 85-20; VZ 85-21; VZ 86-11), Venezuela, unknown locality, 67, Mosquitoes of Middle America; 1G ♂ (no. 2339), without data.
description: Published as part of Ribeiro, Paulino Siqueira, Motta, Monique Albuquerque, Seiblitz, Giulia Caminha, Pereira, Glauber Rocha, Galvão, Cleber, Pecor, David Brooks & Lourenço-De-Oliveira, Ricardo, 2022, Redescription of Wyeomyia (Decamyia) felicia (Dyar & Núñez Tovar, 1927) and description of a new species of the subgenus from Trinidad (Diptera: Culicidae), pp. 101-125 in Zootaxa 5175 (1) on pages 102-114, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5175.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7003255