Feltiella acarivora (Zehntner)

Kolesik, Peter & Gagné, Raymond J., 2020, A review of the gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) of Indonesia: taxonomy, biology and adult key to genera, Zootaxa 4847 (1), pp. 1-82 : 29-31

Feltiella acarivora (Zehntner)

[ Figs 14 a–k]

Diplosis acarivora Zehntner, 1901: 203 .

Feltiella acarivora (Zehntner): Gagné (1995: 25) , new combination.

Material examined. Zehntner’s description was based on the larva, pupa, male and female in association with the spider mite Tetranychus exciccator Zehntner (Acari: Tetranychidae ) feeding on sugar cane in Java. No collection data was provided, and the study specimens are presumed lost, but Zehntner included drawings that have allowed identification of his species. This was proven by Ganaha-Kikumura et al. (2012) who collected and reared it from populations preying on several spider mite species feeding on various plants in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Their slides are stored in the Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. We did not find it necessary to examine them.

Morphology. This description is based on illustrations by Zehntner (1901) and the redescription by Ganaha-Kikumura et al. (2012). Male. Wing length 0.9–1.2 mm, R 5 joining C slightly anteriad of wing apex [ Fig. 14a ]. Palpus 3-segmented, second and third segments equally long, 2.5x longer than first [ Fig. 14b ]. Occipital protuberance short. Flagellomeres with circumfilar loops of basal whorl reaching midlength of internode, loops of median whorl reaching midlength of distal node, loops of distal whorl reaching midlength of neck [ Fig. 14d ]. Tarsal claws bowed near midlength, toothed on forelegs, simple on mid and hindlegs [ Fig. 14c ]. Male terminalia [ Figs 14e, f ]: gonocoxite long, narrow, with mesobasal bulge; gonostylus elongate, narrow, cylindrical, setulose near base, carinate beyond; aedeagus broad, evenly cylindrical, slightly concave apically; cerci short, rounded apically; hypoproct about as wide as and nearly as long as aedeagus, parallel-sided, posterior margin squared with median ligule and minute setae.

Female. Flagellomere nodes 1.5x longer than wide, necks only 1/5 as long as nodes [ Fig. 14i ]. Cerci ovoid [ Figs 14g, h ].

Pupa. Length about 1 mm. Antennal bases rounded, cephalic papillae with long setae [ Fig. 14k ].

Larva. Length 1.10–1.25 mm. Antennae long. Terminal papillae: two outer pairs with long setae, one inner pair with short setae, a possible additional pair with very short setae unspecified but present in other species [ Fig. 14j ].

Remarks. In the revision by Gagné (1995) this species was placed in Feltiella based on Zehntner’s original drawings. This placement was confirmed by Ganaha-Kikumura et al. (2012) who provided a photo of the male terminalia, an ink drawing of the aedeagus and hypoproct, a redescription of the species based on newly reared specimens, and a comparison of the species with the nearly cosmopolitan Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) .

DNA. Ganaha-Kikumura et al. (2012) sequenced the COI mitochondrial gene for nine individuals reared from spider mites feeding and various host plants (814 bp, GenBank accession numbers AB698995 –AB69900). The interspecific similarity of these sequences was 0–0.12%, while the similarity to the closest species, Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) , was>7.51% (GenBank, access 16-xii-2019).

Biology. Feltiella acarivora preys on several spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae ) that feed on various plants. Zehntner (1901) wrote that full-grown larvae made cocoons on the plant surface. Most records are based on the identification of the gall midge and the mite rather than the direct observation of the predatory behavior. Mites reported as prey are Tetranychus exsiccator in Indonesia, and Eutetranychus africanus (Tucker) , Oligonychus biharensis (Hirst) , T. kanzawai Kishida , T. neocaledonicus Andre , T. okinawanus Ehara , T. parakanzawai Ehara , T. pueraricola Ehara , and T. urticae Koch (green form) in Japan ( Ganaha-Kikumura et al. 2012). Feltiella acarivora was found co-occurring with spider mites feeding on the following plants: Saccharum officinarum L. in Indonesia ( Zehntner 1901), and Annona atemoya Mabb. (Annonaceae) , Bauhinia sp. ( Caesalpiniaceae ), Canavalia lineata (Thunb.) DC. (Fabaceae) , Carica papaya L. ( Caricaceae ), Clerodendrum trochotomum Thunb. (Verbenaceae) , Mallotus japonicus (L.f.) Müll.Arg. ( Euphorbiaceae ), Melanolepis multiglandulosa (Reinw. ex Blume) Rchb. f. & Zoll. ( Euphorbiaceae ), Morus australis Poir. (Moraceae) , Mucuna macrocarpa Wall. (Fabaceae) , Passiflora edulis Sims (Passifloraceae) , Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. (Fabaceae) and Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H. Ohashi (Fabaceae) in Japan ( Ganaha-Kikumura et al. 2012).

Geographical distribution. Japan (Iheya, Noho, Okinawa, Irabu, Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands , all Okinawa Prefecture) ( Ganaha-Kikumura et al. 2012) , Indonesia (Java, localities unspecified) ( Zehntner 1901) .

Figures

FIGURES 14a–k. Feltiella acarivora: a, male; b, palpi; c, tarsal claw with empodium (of mid or hindleg; that of foreleg is toothed); d, two male flagellomeres; e, male terminalia (ventral); f, distal part of aedeagus and hypoproct (ventral); g, end of female abdomen (ventral); h, same (lateral); i, two female flagellomeres; j, larva (dorsal); k, pupa (ventral); Figs 15a–e, g–k from Zehntner (1901), Fig. 14f from Ganaha-Kikumura et al. 2010.