Zeugodacus (Parasinodacus) momordicae David & Ajaykumara, 2024

David, Karamankodu Jacob, Abhishek, Venkateshaiah, Kennedy, Ningthoujam, Ajaykumara, K. M., Gracy, R. G. & Hissay, Cheday Bhutia, 2024, Four new species of Zeugodacus Hendel (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacinae, Dacini) and new records of dacines from India, ZooKeys 1188, pp. 1-26 : 1

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1188.114031
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:54CACA75-91BD-4AFD-8860-2125798B4C15
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D8024CC3-CE48-4C83-B2DC-D737D87FD34F
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:D8024CC3-CE48-4C83-B2DC-D737D87FD34F
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Zeugodacus (Parasinodacus) momordicae David & Ajaykumara
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Zeugodacus (Parasinodacus) momordicae David & Ajaykumara sp. nov.

Figs 39 View Figure 39 , 40-49 View Figures 40–49 , 50-57 View Figures 50–57 , 58-60 View Figures 58–60

Type locality.

India: Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang, Padu.

Type material.

Holotype female, pinned. Original label: "INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang, Padu, 29. ix. 2022, David, K. J." Paratypes. 20♀♀, 3♂♂, India: Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang, Padu, 15. ix. 2022, Ajaykumara, K. M.; 15♀♀, 3♂♂, 1 larva, India: Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang, Padu, 29. ix. 2022, David, K. J. (deposited at NIM).

Other material examined.

1♀, Formosa, Kagi, 19.08.07, H. Sauter, S.(first label), Chaetodacus cilifer Hend . ♀ det. M. Hering 1935 (second label) (NHM). 2♀♀, India, Meghalaya, Umiam , 19. v. 2017, Arensungla Pongen (NIM) .

Diagnosis.

Zeugodacus momordicae resembles Z. incisus in possessing black scutum, two transverse bands on face, continuous costal band and extensive femoral markings, but can be differentiated by the absence of yellow spot anterior to lateral vittae along transverse suture and presence of prescutellar acrostichal setae. It can be differentiated from Bactrocera ablepharus (Bezzi) by the presence of prescutellar acrostichal setae and face with two transverse bands. It can be differentiated from Z. cilifer (Figs 61-65 View Figures 61–65 , 69 View Figures 66–69 ) by the aculeus shape and spicules on distal end of eversible membrane as discussed below. Aculeus tip is elongate, parallel sided and not tapering abruptly beyond the preapical conical flange (width of the conical projection- 0.06 mm) and length of aculeus after the preapical flange is 0.21 mm in Z. cilifer (Figs 66 View Figures 66–69 , 67 View Figures 66–69 ), whereas in Z. momordicae , aculeus is tapering abruptly beyond the preapical conical flange (width of the conical projection -0.08 mm) (Figs 56 View Figures 50–57 , 57 View Figures 50–57 ) and length of aculeus after the preapical flange is 0.15-0.18 mm. Spicules on Z. cilifer are conical with single projection with a shorter base (Fig. 68 View Figures 66–69 ), whereas Z. momordicae (Fig. 54 View Figures 50–57 ) possess broader conical spicules.

Description.

Female. Medium sized species (wing length 4.37-5.45 mm), face with two broad black bands. Scutum black with yellow lateral postsutural vitta ending beyond intra-alar seta, anepisternal stripe broad reaching anterior notopleural seta dorsally, continued as a small transverse marking on katepisternum. Wing hyaline with costal band continuous from cell sc to the apex of the wing and confluent with vein R2+3, anal streak well developed. Abdomen predominantly black with a narrow transverse fulvous band on tergites 1 and 2 (in few specimens all tergites black). Females with two spermatheca, aculeus pointed with preapical projection.

Head. Frons fulvous with fuscous markings on anteriomedial hump and around bases of frontal and orbital setae, all setae black; 2 pairs of frontal setae and 1 pair of orbital setae, lunule black. Ocellar triangle and vertex black, ocellar setae vestigial. Face (Figs 40 View Figures 40–49 , 41 View Figures 40–49 ) fulvous with two broad transverse bands (elongate spots in antennal furrow connected by broad transverse band and a broad black band below the antennal sockets). Scape, pedicel fulvous, first flagellomere dark fuscous on outer side and apex, arista non plumose, combined length of pedicel and flagellomere is slightly longer than vertical length of face. Gena fulvous with prominent black patch and a seta. Occiput black, fulvous along eye margins; lateral and medial vertical seta present, occipital row without prominent black postocular setae. Thorax (Figs 42 View Figures 40–49 , 43 View Figures 40–49 ). wholly black with yellow lateral postsutural vittae extending beyond intra-alar seta, medial vitta lacking; pleura black. Yellow marking as follows; postpronotal lobe, notopleuron, anepisternal stripe (reaching anterior notopleural seta dorsally) continued to katepisternum as a transverse spot; anatergite (posterior apex black); anterior 0.60 of katatergite (remainder black). Scutellum yellow with two scutellar setae. Chaetotaxy: scutellar seta, 1; prescutellar acrostichal seta, 1; intra-alar seta, 1; postsutural supra-alar seta, 1; postalar seta, 1; anepisternal seta, 1; anterior notopleural seta, 1; posterior notopleural seta, 1; scapular setae, 2. Coxa and trochanter black; whole fore femur; 0.75 of mid femur; 0.25 of hind femur black; remainder black. Fore and mid tibiae fulvous/yellow, hind tibia black, all tarsal segments fulvous (Fig. 43 View Figures 40–49 ). Wing (4.37-5.45 mm) predominantly hyaline, cells bc and c hyaline, cell sc dark fuscous, costal band confluent with vein R2+3, slightly expanded apically, anal streak as broad as cell cua1 extending till apex of its extension, supernumerary lobe developed (Figs 48 View Figures 40–49 , 49 View Figures 40–49 ). Abdomen (Figs 44-47 View Figures 40–49 ). Abdominal segments entirely black except for a narrow fulvous band on tergite 2 apically (in few specimens all tergites black).

Male. Similar to female except for face (Fig. 40 View Figures 40–49 ) which is nearly black in few males with a narrow longitudinal fulvous line separating the bands, costal band discontinuous in few male specimens examined, sternite 5 in males black with shallow concavity, pecten present on tergite 3.

Female genitalia. Oviscape conical (Fig. 53 View Figures 50–57 ), dorsoventrally flattened, basal half dark fuscous, apical half fulvous; eversible membrane twice as long as oviscape (1.69 mm), spicules on distal end of eversible membrane (2.98 mm) with medial conical projection with a wider base (Fig. 54 View Figures 50–57 ); aculeus (1.36 mm) shorter than eversible membrane with conical preapical flange, needle-shaped aculeus tip (Figs 56 View Figures 50–57 , 57 View Figures 50–57 ); spermatheca dark brown, tightly coiled (Fig. 55 View Figures 50–57 ).

Male genitalia. Epandrium quadrate (profile view), lateral surstylus longer than epandrium; posterior lobe of surstylus 10 × longer than anterior lobe (Fig. 50 View Figures 50–57 ); proctiger hyaline as broad as but, shorter than epandrium; medial surstylus shorter than lateral surstylus with well-developed pair of equal sized prensisetae (Fig. 51 View Figures 50–57 ). Phallus 3.15 mm long, glans of phallus well sclerotised with 2-3 rows of spine like projections on acrophallus dorsally (Fig. 52 View Figures 50–57 ), subapical lobe T-shaped, preglans lobe present.

III instar larva. Creamy white, tapered anteriorly, blunt posteriorly. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton (Fig. 58 View Figures 58–60 ): Mandible pointed, with short preapical tooth smaller than apical tooth, ventral apodeme prominent, mandibular neck well developed; hypopharyngeal sclerite shorter than mandible narrowing distally, with well-developed hypopharyngeal bridge in the centre, parastomal bar well developed covering the entire length of hypopharyngeal sclerite, labial sclerite present, anterior sclerite well developed (detached while dissecting); pharyngeal sclerite with well-developed dorsal and ventral cornua, ventral bridge lacking. Anterior spiracle with 17 tubules (Fig. 59 View Figures 58–60 ); slits of posterior spiracle arranged parallel to each other with well-developed dorsal, lateral and ventral spiracular bundles (Fig. 60 View Figures 58–60 ).

Etymology.

The species name is derived from the genus name Momordica in the genitive case.

Host plant.

Flies were collected on spiny/spine gourd (Figs 70-72 View Figures 70–76 ); female flies were observed ovipositing inside unopened male flower buds of spiny gourd (Figs 73 View Figures 70–76 , 74 View Figures 70–76 ), Momordica dioica Roxb ex Wild. Infested flower buds were having a withered appearance with two or three larvae inside (Figs 75 View Figures 70–76 , 76 View Figures 70–76 ). They were reared up to the adult stage to confirm it as the host.

DNA Barcode.

NCBI Accession number OQ353070 (1♀, INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang, Padu, 29. ix. 2022, David, K.J.). The partial gene sequence of mt-COI of Indian specimen was subjected to similarity search (BLAST-N) in NCBI database which revealed 99% similarity with Zeugodacus cilifer reported from Thailand and China, however 97.87% similarity was observed with Z. cilifer from Taiwan.

Remarks.

Nair et al. (2018; 2021) and Pongen et al. (2023) reported Zeugodacus cilifer from Tripura and Meghalaya as a pest of flowers of spiny gourd, respectively. Examination of the postabdominal structure of female of Z. cilifer collected from Taiwan (Figs 61-65 View Figures 61–65 ), the type locality in 1907, deposited at Natural History Museum, London and specimens collected from Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, India revealed that specimens from India are different in the morphology of aculeus and spicules on distal end of eversible membrane as mentioned in the diagnosis, hence it is here described as a new species. Hence records of Z. cilifer by Nair et al. (2018; 2021) and Pongen et al. (2023) are treated as misidentifications of Z. momordicae . It is placed in Zeugodacus due to shallow/flat posterior emargination of sternite 5 in males, posterior lobe of lateral surstylus much longer than anterior lobe and patterned acrophallus. It is placed in subgenus Zeugodacus Parasinodacus as it possesses only two scutellar setae and scutum is devoid of medial postsutural vitta.