Identidad de las mosquitas Forcipomyia spp. (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) relacionadas con la polinización del cacaotero en Ecuador

The purpose of this paper is to offer a taxonomic diagnosis of a group of midges collected by Mr. M. Medina López during his studies of natural pollinators of cacao in Los Rios Province, Ecuador. Morphological characters were measured for male and female adults. Two taxa were provisionally denominated Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) sp. 1 and sp. 2, in the absence of larvae and pupae necessary for specific determination. Midges of this subgenus are considered to be economically important for the cacao plantations because of their ability to pollinate cacao flowers. Other midges identified are: Forcipomyia (Forcipomyia) genualis (Loew), F. (Forcipomyia) cinctipes, F. (Thyridomyia) nana Macfie, F. (Rhynchoforcipomyia) sp. 1, F. (Warmkea) tuberculata Saunders, F. (Microhelea) fuliginosa (Meigen), F. (Microhelea) microtoma Wirth and F. (Lasiohelea) sp. Comments are included regarding each group identified, and its role in the cacao ecosystem