Trupanea stellata (Fuessly, 1775)

Evstigneev, D. A. & Glukhova, N. V., 2022, Tephritid flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia: new records and new host plants, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 31 (1), pp. 118-129 : 121-122

Trupanea stellata (Fuessly, 1775)

( Figs 33–36)

Material examined. Russia, Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, nr. Vladikavkaz, ca. 2 km S of Chmi Vill., Suargom River bank, 3 females reared 16.VIII.2020 from capitula of Cladochaeta candidissima collected on 9.VIII.2020 (coll. D.A. Evstigneev).

Distribution. Transpalaearctic species ( Merz, 1994).

Comments. Larvae of this species live in the capitula of a wide range of Asteraceae ( White, 1988; Merz, 1994; Freidberg & Kugler, 1989). Cladochaeta candidissima (M. Bieb.) DC. (syn. Helichrysum candidissimum Loudon ) is recorded for the first time as a host plant of T. stellata . The morphological details of T. stellata are illustrated in Figs 33–36. This species can be identified by the following combination of wing coloration features: (1) brown ray on DM-Cu crossvein not reaching hind posterior margin of wing (brown ray located only on crossvein DM-Cu; vein Cu 1 entirely within a hyaline area); (2) no brown band extending from pterostigma to subapical area of cell br; (3) brown ray extending from subapical star-shaped spot to vein C and reaching it before level of crossvein R-M ( Fig. 33).