Pellacara postica Gagné, 2015

Gagné, Raymond J. & Etienne, Jean, 2015, Three new genera and three new species of Lasiopteridi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on Rubiaceae from Guadeloupe, French West Indies, and a key to genera of Neotropical Lasiopteridi unplaced to tribe, Zootaxa 4028 (4), pp. 511-526 : 524

Pellacara postica Gagné , new species

Figs. 35–53

Description. Adult: Wing ( Fig. 49 ), length in male 2.2–2.6 mm (n=5), in female 2.5–2.7 mm (n=5), the veins conspicuously darkened. Antenna ( Figs. 43–44 ); male with 19–20 flagellomeres (n=5), female with 22–26 (n=5). Palpus ( Fig. 45 ) of 4 well-defined segments, the fourth segment always with single, short, strong seta at apex. Anepimeron with 15–22 setae. Legs: tarsal scales darker than those on the remainder of legs; acropods as in Fig. 47 . Male postabdomen and terminalia as in Figs. 48, 50–51 . Female postabdomen as in Figs. 36–37 , 52 .

Pupa ( Figs. 38–40 ): as in the generic description.

Larva, third instar ( Figs. 41–42 ): Length, 2.8–3.4 mm (n=5). White. Spatula as in Fig 53 . Integument and papillae as in the generic description.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: male, reared from large, succulent gall on upperside of leaves of Psychotria mapourioides , Guadeloupe, Pointe Noire, Morne-à-Louis, XII-14-2011, J. Etienne, GR4473, deposited in NMNH.

PARATYPES, all in NMNH: 2 females, 2 pupae, 11 larvae, same data as holotype; male, 2 females, pupa, same data as holotype except V-10-2011, GR4380; 3 males, 4 females, same data as holotype except I-22-2013, GR4584; 3 females, 2 pupal exuviae, same data as holotype except X-13-2011, GR4437; male, female, same data as holotype except III-23-2012, GR4511; and 2 larvae, pupa, Guadeloupe, Trois Rivières, Moscou, III-20-2000, GR 2542.

Etymology. The name postica is a Latin adjective meaning behind, in reference to the parts of the terminalia being situated far posteriorly on the gonocoxites.

Life history. This species forms circular, rounded galls that are apparent on both leaf surfaces of Psychotria mapourioides ( Figs. 3–4 ). Each gall is inhabited by a single larva. Pupation takes place in the gall. When the adult is fully formed, the pupa exits partway from the gall on the underside of the leaf, and the adult then emerges from the pupa. Adult emergence takes place from 8 to 9 a.m. Several generations occur per year. Noteworthy adult field recognition characters are the fairly large size, the orange-red thorax and abdomen, the conspicuously darkened wing veins, and the tarsal scales that are darker than those on the rest of the legs. Larvae are striking for their black head capsule, spatula and setae on the otherwise white body.

Figures

FIGURES 35 – 42. Pellacara postica. 35, Head, female. 36, Ovipositor (lateral). 37, Cerci (lateral). 38, Pupal abdominal segments 1 – 3 (dorsal). 39, Pupa, anterior segments (ventral). 40, Same (lateral). 41, Larva (lateral). 42, Larva, fifth abdominal segment to end (dorsal).

FIGURES 43 – 51. Pellacara postica. 43, Male fourth flagellomere (ventral). 44, Female fourth flagellomere (ventral). 45, Palpus and labella (frontal; arrow points to single strong seta at apex). 46, Eyes at vertex (frontal). 47, Acropod (lateral). 48, Male sixth to eighth abdominal segments (dorsolateral). 49, Distal end of wing. 50, Male terminalia (dorsal). 51, Same (ventral).

FIGURES 52 – 53. Pellacara postica. 52, Female seventh to eighth abdominal segments (lateral). 53, Larval spatula and associated papillae.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Leaf galls on Rubiaceae. 1, Galls of Faramitella planicauda on Faramea occidentalis, abaxial surface. 2, Leaves in rearing chamber. 3, Galls of Pellacara postica on Psychotria mapourioides, adaxial surface. 4, Same, abaxial surface.