Melanagromyza multivora Braun & Prado

Braun, Marina Reiter, Prado, Angelo Pires Do & Lewinsohn, Thomas Michael, 2009, New species of Neotropical Melanagromyza Hendel (Diptera: Agromyzidae) from Asteraceae flower heads, Zootaxa 2279, pp. 51-59 : 57

Melanagromyza multivora Braun & Prado , sp. nov.

( Figures 8 A, 8B)

Specimens examined: Holotype: ɗ (LW, PDA 100217 -A), BRAZIL: SÃO PAULO: São Carlos, 22º04’06”S 47º52’35”W, 2.v.2004 (various collectors), ex Mikania cordifolia (MZUSP). Paratypes: 1 ɗ, Itirapina, 22º15’56”S 47º47’48”W, 28.iv.2004 (various collectors); 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 100217 -B), São Carlos, same data and local as holotype, ex Mikania cordifolia ; 1 ɗ (LW, PDA1403-A), São Carlos, 22º10’03”S 47º47’16”W, 8.v.2004 (various collectors), ex Trixis verbasciformis (ZUEC/ UNICAMP). 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 081111), Ibaté, 21º58’09”S 47º56’56”W, 30.iv.2004 (various collectors), ex Mikania cordifolia ; 1 ɗ (G and LW, PDA 140318 - A); São Carlos, 22º10’03”S 47º47’16”W, 8.v.2004 (various collectors), ex Trixis verbasciformis ; 1 ɗ, Itirapina, 22º19’02”S 47º48’22”W, 17.ii.2005 (various collectors), ex Gochnatia polymorpha (MZUSP).

Diagnosis: Small coppery black species, wing length in male 1.12 to 1.58 mm, distiphallus length at least 0.075 mm and membrane length 0.18 to 0.2 mm.

Description: Male adult: Wing length 1.12 to 1.4 mm (n= 14, mean= 1.28 mm, sd=0.076). Squamae gray, margin gray and fringe blackish brown.

Head: Head black. Eye width 0.26 to 0.36 mm (n= 16, mean= 0.30 mm, sd= 0.03) and frons width 0.16 to 0.22 mm (n=16, mean= 0.18 mm, sd= 0,02) not projecting above eye in profile; four orbital bristles, normally equal, orbital setulae reclinate in the opposite direction of the frons; ocellar triangle large, moderately shining, apex extending up to end of upper setulae; gena one-sixth vertical height of eye; eyes bare in both sexes; arista only minutely pubescent.

Thorax and abdomen: Mesonotum coppery black, slightly shining particularly when viewed from rear, with two pairs of dorsocentral bristles; abdomen more brilliantly coppery. Thorax length 0.56 to 0.78 mm (n=16, mean= 0.68 mm, sd= 0.06). Pleuron bristles: three on notopleuron, one on anepisternum and one on katepisternum. Only one bristle on postpronotum.

Male genitalia: Aedeagus as in Fig. 8 A and 8B.

Host plant/Biology: Campuloclinium chlorolepis , Mikania cordifolia (Eupatorieae) , Gochnatia polymorpha , Gochnatia pulchra (Gochnatioideae) and Trixis verbasciformis (Mutisioideae) , larva feeding and pupating in seed head.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the food habit. This species has apparent associations with at least four hosts in three subfamilies in the Asteraceae (of which two were in the former tribe Mutisieae ).

Distribution: Ibaté, Itirapina, São Carlos (São Paulo) - Brazil.

Comments: This species is not distinguishable on external characters from M. longomembranacea . Distiphallus widest in the distal portion, with conspicuous sclerotization ( Fig. 8 A, 8B).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Aedeagus of Melanagromyza multivora sp. nov. (A) frontal view; (B) side view. FIGURE 9. Aedeagus of Melanagromyza vernonieaevora sp. nov. (A) frontal view; (B) side view. Reference scale = 0, 1 mm. Photographs and drawn by Marina R. Braun.