Neotropical Agromyzidae (Diptera) of the Mission Géodésique de l’Équateur: Becker (1920) revisited
Author
Boucher, Stéphanie
Author
Wheeler, Terry A.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3779
2
157
176
journal article
46226
10.11646/zootaxa.3779.2.3
41b9d971-197b-41b4-89df-5160e209981f
1175-5326
252252
17D92CCD-AEC6-47A4-9D47-09756607048E
Liriomyza
sp. A
(
Figs. 48–52
)
Agromyza pusilla
Meigen
, of
Becker (1920)
, in part.
MNHN Specimen
.
Ecuador
: Env. de Tulcan, Dr. G. Rivet 1902 (
1 ♂
).
Diagnosis
. This species can be distinguished from other Neotropical species of
Liriomyza
by the combination of a brown palpus, an entirely dark brown antenna with the first flagellomere yellowish basally; legs completely dark brown except for bright yellow knees, mesonotum shining (or sub-shining) black, without yellow patches at hind corners.
Description
. Frons width
0.33 mm
; ratio of frons width to eye width 2.5 (measured in dorsal view); orbit 0.16 times width of frons (frons including orbits) at midpoint; parafacial only slightly projecting, forming narrow ring (cheek) below eye; orbital setae particularly strong; 2 reclinate ors and 2 almost subequal inclinate ori; orbital setulae reclinate; first flagellomere (one missing) small to medium in size, covered with short pubescence; arista with short but dense pubescence; gena deep, conspicuously extended at rear; gena height at midpoint: 0.30 times maximum eye height; upper margin of clypeus thick and rounded; eye with a few short scattered hairs; one strong presutural and three postsutural dorsocentrals; acrostichal setulae in 4 irregular rows; 2 notopleural setae; postpronotum with one strong seta (only socket present) and 3 weaker ones; anepisternum with 1 strong seta on posterior margin a little above midpoint, with 2 smaller setae dorsally and 1 ventrally; fore and mid tibiae without lateral seta; stridulatory mechanism easily visible; wing length approximately
2.1 mm
in male (wings bent). Last section of CuA1 1.3 times longer than penultimate.
Colour
. Frons and lower orbit yellow (lower ori on yellow); upper orbit brown to upper ori; both vt on brown; hind margin of eye brown on dorsal half; face partly brown below antenna and along facial carina, but yellow below; antenna mostly dark brown, except first flagellomere slightly paler basally (yellower on inner surface); palpus brown; clypeus shiny black. Mesonotum shining brown to margin of scutellum; scutellum largely bright yellow with brown patches laterally; basal scutellar setae on dark ground; postpronotum yellow with a central brown patch; notopleuron mostly yellow but dark brown at junction with anepisternum; anepisternum almost completely brown, only narrowly yellow posteriorly; katepisternum entirely brown; calypter dark brown including margin and fringe; halter white; legs dark brown with bright yellow knees. Abdominal tergites mostly brown, narrowly yellow laterally.
Male genitalia
. (phallus and phallapodeme missing). Posteroventral margin of epandrium without spine; anteroventral margin of epandrium with short hook-like projection (arrow,
Fig. 51
); postgonites long and widening apically (
Figs. 48–49
); ejaculatory apodeme large, with strongly sclerotized bowl-shaped base and tube-like lateral projections (
Fig. 52
); subepandrial sclerites (= bacilliform sclerites sensu
Zlobin (2002))
fused, somewhat Xshaped with anterior arms much longer than posterior ones; these bearing one long seta (
Fig. 49
).
FIGURES 48–52
.
Liriomyza
sp. A, (48) postgonites, (49) postgonites and subepandrial sclerites, (50) epandrium, lateral, (51) left side of epandrium, arrow shows hook-like projection, (52) ejaculatory apodeme. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.
Comments
. The phallus and phallapodeme are absent in the only available specimen (possibly resulting from a mutation). In the absence of the phallus, the identity of this species cannot be confirmed, but the overall external characteristics match the Chilean species
Liriomyza schwabei
Spencer
, except for the paler first and second antennal segment and the longer ultimate section of CuA1. This Neotropical species belongs to the
flaveola
-group (
Spencer 1976
;
Zlobin, 2002
), which includes species with a characteristic phallus shape and often a short acute protuberance on anteroventral margin of the epandrium (as seen here). All species belonging to this group are
Poaceae
feeders.