Three new species ofRheotanytarsusThienemann and Bause are described and illustrated from India.R. nudicornusn. sp. belonging to theaquilusspecies group is described as adult male and pupa,R. spinicornusn. sp. in themuscicolagroup is described as adult male, pupa, and larva, andR. caputimberusin thetrivittatusgroup is described as adult male with damaged pupa. A possible placement and inclusion of these three new species from India and other seven species recorded from the Oriental China in the key to males of genusRheotanytarsusof Kyerematen et al. are proposed. A probable placement and inclusion of the 2 new species from India in the key to pupae ofRheotanytarsusof Kyerematen et al. are also stated. Diagnoses of themuscicolagroup andtrivittatusgroup are emended.

Three new species of biting midges belonging to the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer are described as a result of the extensive entomological surveys in the Deltaic Proper of Gangetic West Bengal, India. Adult and pupal stages of Dasyhelea (Dasyhelea) multiforamina sp. nov. and D. (Sebessia) bulbosa sp. nov., and all the life stages of D. (Pseudoculicoides) aprojecta sp. nov. are described. Dasyhelea (Prokempia) flaviformis Carter, Ingram and Macfie is also recorded first time from the Oriental region as only adult stage. They are described, illustrated and photomicrographed. A short note on bionomics of the four species is provided. The subgeneric placement of seven species previously described from India and keys to the Indian species of Dasyhelea based on male and female are also furnished. Key words: Dasyhelea, new species, new record, immature, Sebessia, Prokempia, Pseudoculicoides, Key, Oriental Region

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Biting midges are small nematocerous Diptera. Culicoides and Dasyhelea are two important genera of the family Ceratopogonidae. Larvae of Culicoides innoxius and Dasyhelea aprojecta are found in the semiaquatic moist habitat. The larvae feed on the small debris and habitat substrata. The materials consumed by these larvae aid in their development to become adult. The nutritional evaluation of the food material of larvae of C. innoxius and D. aprojecta was carried out to know the essential elements for their development. In the case of adult Culicoides, many species are hematophagous. However, the adult midges of the genus Dasyhelea are dependent on nectar and honeydew. Along with their digestive enzymes, exoenzyme-producing gut associated bacteria have also an important role in the digestion of these food materials. Digestion and metabolism of these food materials aid in insect maturation, immunity, reproduction, maintaining diapause, etc. Qualitative determination of the gut associated bacteria of adult C. innoxius and D. flava was accomplished to infer the role of bacteria supplementing the digestive enzymes.