Liriomyza n.sp. (near L. c ommelinae (Frost))

(Figs. 35–39)

Material examined. Costa Rica. Prov. San José. Moravia. Zurquí de Moravia, Tower path. 1600m. 11-18 OCT 2013. Proyecto ZADBI . Malaise trap #1, ZADBI-1280. -84:00:57 10:02:58 #107959. INB0004415923 (1M: MNCR); same except 14–21 JUN 2013, ZADBI-859; #107009. INB000432453 (1F: MNCR) .

Comments. The specimens from Zurquí were identified as Liriomyza commelinae in Borkent et al. (2018), but it is now considered a new species. L. commelinae is a widespread Neotropical species, also found in Florida (central and southern counties), and is easily recognized by the characteristic enlarged first flagellomere in male, a character rarely seen in Liriomyza, but also occurring in L. robustae, a species described from the western Andes in Colombia (Spencer, 1984). L. commelinae also has a characteristic yellow colouration at the posterior end of the mesonotum. These two characters are identical in the Zurquí specimens (Figs. 35, 36). The abdomen of L. commelinae has been described as blackish centrally but variably yellow laterally in Spencer and Steyskal (1986), but the Zurquí specimens have a characteristic yellow first tergite, extending posteriorly into a point (Fig. 36). The phallus of L. commelinae has been illustrated by various authors (Spencer 1963, Spencer 1973b; Valladares 1984; Pallacios-Torres et al. 2005) with some important variations between them, which could bring confusion. The phallus illustrated in Valladares (1984) and in Palacios-Torres et al. (2015) has long membranous tubules. These may have been overlooked in ventral view illustrations of Spencer (1963) and Spencer & Stegmaier (1973). The phallus of the Zurquí specimen has a few unique characteristics including a little triangular sclerite at the base of the distiphallus (Fig. 37, arrow), wider tubules with the distal end slightly enlarged, and a distinct curvature in the phallus in lateral view (Fig. 38) (straight in L. commelinae). These differences are important and justify the status of a new species. The epandrium and surstylus of the male Zurquí specimen are illustrated in Fig. 39 but has never been illustrated for L. commelinae for comparison.

Host plant. Both L. commelinae and L. robusta feed on Commelinaceae These two Liriomyza species with enlarged first flagellomere in the male are considered sister species (Spencer 1990). It is likely that this very similar new species of Liriomyza from Zurquí also feed on a host plant in this family.

Distribution. Costa Rica.