Liriomyza nebulosa, Lonsdale, 2011

Lonsdale, Owen, 2011, The Liriomyza (Agromyzidae: Schizophora: Diptera) of California 2850, Zootaxa 2850 (1), pp. 1-123 : 76

Liriomyza nebulosa spec. nov.

Figs 3 , 165–168

Fig. 3 . Wing length 2.2mm (♂). Female unknown. Length of ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by penultimate section: 2.0. Eye height divided by gena height: 3.4. Scutum subshining. Cheek distinct.

Chaetotaxy: Three ori, two ors. Acrostichal setulae in four rows.

Colouration: Calypter margin and hairs dark brown. Wing with brownish infuscation that is slightly darker along veins. Head light yellow with back of head, clypeus and ocellar triangle dark brown; posterolateral corner of frons dark brown to level of outer vertical bristle (with small yellow spot extending laterally from base of bristle) and brown to base of inner vertical; lateral margin of frons brownish (darker posteriorly) with broad extensions reaching base of fronto-orbitals; venter of gena with brown stripe that fades posteriorly; face brownish with lateroventral region darker. Scutum with complete lateral yellow stripe; katatergite yellow with posteroventral corner brown; anatergite dark brown below scutellum and brown lateral to scutellum with dorsum yellowish. Pleuron dark brown with dorsal ¼ of anepisternum yellow, anepimeron with light yellow mottling medially, and katepisternum with dorsomedial margin yellow and posterodorsal corner light brown. Legs brown with femora apices yellowish (pronounced on fore femur), fore femur with yellow streaking, mid and hind femora with faint yellowish mottling and tarsus becoming paler to base. Abdomen brown.

Genitalia: Figs 165–168 . Surstylus relatively broad with several apical setae and one small subapical spine. Ejaculatory apodeme large, heavily pigmented and with base of duct stout and dark; pileus ejaculatorius narrow, heavily sclerotized and strongly projecting; blade relatively undeveloped with limited apical striations. Basiphallus extremely long and thin, flared apically, with anterodorsal surface and distolateral margin weakly sclerotized. Paraphallus thin and angled apically. Hypophallus with long, well developed hairs and weakly pigmented base. Mesophallus cylindrical, fused to distiphallus and with length nearly three times width; mesophallus and distiphallus with complete ventral suture. Distiphallus bowl-shaped, slightly more than twice width of mesophallus and with one pair of short projecting structures (largely pale excluding irregular internal sclerotized structures on basal 2/3).

Etymology. The specific epithet is Latin for “cloudy”, referring to the infuscated wings of this species.

Host. Unknown.

Range. USA. California [Del Norte].

Type material. Holotype, USA. California: Del Norte Co., Six Rivers NF For Route 16N02, nr. Bear Basin Outlk , 41.8016N, 123.7369W, 1500m asl, 3.vi–24.vii.2009, Malaise trap, P. Kerr & O. Lonsdale (1♂, CSCA).

Comments. Liriomyza nebulosa is most obviously characterized by lightly infuscated wings (entirely clear in other Californian Liriomyza ), but it also has a brownish face that is darker laterally, five pronounced fronto-orbitals and a thin, elongate phallus similar to that of L. chemsaki (California) , L. smilacinae , L. pulloides Spencer (Colorado) and the entirely yellow L. flavicola . Liriomyza chemsaki differs in having a much higher gena (eye only 1.8 times higher), paler colouration (distal 1/3 of coxae yellow, slightly paler femora and a much paler head and pleuron), a thinner surstylus and blade on the ejaculatory apodeme, a much shorter basiphallus, a longer and thicker mesophallus, and the basal bowl of the distiphallus is larger. Liriomyza smilacinae has reduced acrostichal setulae, both vertical bristles surrounded by yellow, there is an entirely white calypter, a projecting yellow parafacial and orbital plate, and an incredibly large, globose distiphallus. Liriomyza pulloides differs in having a predominantly yellow orbital plate (base of fronto-orbitals with narrow infuscation), two rows of acrostichals, a grey pruinose scutum, a wing length of 1.6mm, three ori and one ors, a higher gena (eye 2.5 times height of gena), a darker pleuron and a yellow face. The elongate phallus of L. nebulosa also suggests a relationship with the Colombian L. chiensis Spencer , an unusual lightly-pigmented species with approximately eight rows of acrostichal setulae and no spine on the surstylus ( Spencer 1984).

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. 1: Liriomyza sativae Blanchard, female. Fig. 2: L. septentrionalis Sehgal, male. Fig. 3: L. nebulosa spec. nov, male holotype. Fig. 4: L. langei Frick, male.

FIGURES 165–168. Liriomyza nebulosa spec. nov., male holotype genitalia; 165: ejaculatory apodeme; 166: external components, ventral; 167: phallus, left lateral; 168: phallus, ventral.