Melanagromyza vernonieaevora 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 : 57-58

Melanagromyza vernonieaevora Braun & Prado , sp. nov.

(Figures 9A, 9B)

Specimens examined: Holotype: ɗ (G, P1403), BRAZIL: SÃO PAULO: Assis, 28.v.2000 (various collectors), ex Lepidaploa salzmannii (MZUSP). Paratypes: 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 020906), São Carlos, 22º07’04”S 47º50’46”W, 17.iv.2004 (various collectors); 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 060408 -A), Itirapina, 22º16’45”S 47º48’50”W, 28.iv.2004; 1 ɗ (LW, PDA181517-C), São Carlos, 21º57’56”S 47º53’16”W, 20.v.2004 (various collectors) (ZUEC/ UNICAMP). 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 030301 -A), São Carlos, 22º00’21”S 47º51’48”W, 18.iv.2004; 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 040512), São Carlos, 22º02’08”S 47º52’54”W, 18.iv.2004 (various collectors); 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 060408 - B), Itirapina, 22º16’45”S 47º48’50”W, 28.iv.2004 (various collectors); 1 ɗ (LW, PDA 201122), Itirapina, 22º17’32”S 47º48’20”W, 23.v.2004 (various collectors), ex Vernonanthura membranacea (MZUSP). 2 ɗ (1ɗ LW, PDB 130303 -B), São Carlos, 21º58’59”S 47º54’34”W, 28.viii.2004 (various collectors) (ZUEC/ UNICAMP). 1 ɗ (LW, PDB 130303 -A), São Carlos, 21º58’59”S 47º54’34”W, 28.viii.2004 (various collectors), ex Vernonanthura ferruginea (MZUSP).

Diagnosis: Small greenish black species, wing length in male 1.12 to 1.58 mm, distiphallus rectangular.

Description: Male adult: Wing length 1.22 to 1.58 mm (n= 29, mean= 1.42 mm, sd= 0.094). Squamae gray, margin gray and fringe blackish brown.

Head: Head black. Eye width 0.26 to 0.36 mm (n= 26, mean= 0.30 mm, sd= 0.02) and frons width 0.16 to 0.22 mm (n=26, mean= 0.18 mm, sd= 0.02) not projecting above eye in profile; four orbital bristles, upper bristles progressively larger than the lower ones, orbital setulae reclinate; ocellar triangle large, moderately shining, apex extending slightly beyond level of lower orbital bristle; gena one-sixth vertical height of eye; eyes bare in both sexes; arista only minutely pubescent.

Thorax and abdomen: Mesonotum greenish black, slightly shining particularly when viewed from rear, with two pairs of dorsocentral bristles; abdomen more brilliantly golden. Thorax length 0.65 to 0.86 mm (n=26, mean= 0.75 mm, sd= 0.05). Pleuron bristles: three on notopleuron, one on anepisternum and one on katepisternum. Only one bristle on postpronotum.

Male genitalia: Aedeagus as in Fig. 9A and 9B.

Host plant/Biology: Chrysolaena platensis , Lepidaploa salzmannii , Vernonanthura ferruginea , V. membranacea and V. phosphorica (Vernonieae) .

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from its food habit. This species is associated with a variety of hosts all in the tribe Vernonieae.

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

Comments: This species is not distinguishable on external characters from M. falciformis . Distinguishable only by the form of the distiphallus (Fig. 9A, 9B).