Stefaniola crispa Dorchin and Freidberg

Dorchin, Netta & Freidberg, Amnon, 2008, The Chenopodiaceae-feeding gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) of the Na’aman salt marsh, Israel, Zootaxa 1937, pp. 1-22 : 18-20

Stefaniola crispa Dorchin and Freidberg , new species

Adult. – Head ( Fig. 54 ): Eye facets circular, gap between eyes on vertex 0.5–1.5 times as wide as facet. Palpus 1-segmeted, 1.0–1.5 times as long as wide, rounded apically, with long fine setae. Labellum well developed, with several scales and long setae. Antenna ( Fig. 55 ): similar in both sexes; scape wide conical, pedicel globular, flagellomeres: 10 in both sexes, barrel-shaped, about 1.5 times as long as wide, each with two whorls of connected circumfila, whorl of strong setae between two circumfila, and whorl of smaller setae proximal to proximal circumfilum, evenly setulose; apical flagellomere tapered; flagellomeres 1–2 sometimes partially fused.

Thorax: Wing: length 1.3–2.0 mm in females (n=15), 1.5–1.8 mm in males (n=7); transparent, veins other than Sc and R5 barely visible, R5 joining C at wing mid-length, M present as fold, Cu unforked. C, Sc and R5 brownish, with sparse hairs. Legs ( Fig. 56 ): covered by dark, fusiform scales; tarsal claws strong, evenly curved, with small, strongly curved teeth close to base of claw; empodia extend slightly beyond bend of claw, with long hairs; pulvilli well developed, about half as long as claw.

Female abdomen ( Fig. 57 ): General color brownish-orange. Covered by white scales; scale pattern on dorsum comprising three black spots on anterior part of each tergite; medial spot triangular, smaller than two lateral semi-spherical spots. Tergites 1–7 more or less rectangular, less sclerotized anteriorly than elsewhere, with posterior row of setae; tergite 7 wider than preceding tergites, with 2–3 posterior rows of setae, and evenly covered by scales; trichoid sensilla not detectable. Tergite 8 mostly undifferentiated from surrounding membrane, with only small sclerotized patch, without setae. Sternites 2–6 rectangular, less sclerotized in mid part, with posterior row of setae and several evenly scattered setae; sternite 7 more setulose than preceding sternites; sternite 8 completely undifferentiated from surrounding membrane. Area anterior and posterior to lateral group of setae on segment 8 with longitudinal wrinkles and grooves. Ovipositor ( Fig. 58 ): Lateral group of setae comprising more than 100 slightly curved setae. Sclerotized rods widened toward lateral plate. Lateral plate sheathing entire base of cercus, bearing 25–31 long, slightly and evenly curved setae, more than ten times as long as wide. Aculeus very thick at base, narrowed abruptly at distal third, tip pointed anterodorsally; base of aculeus with 6 erect and extraordinarily long, hooked setae, curled posteriorly. Apical lamella globular, slightly longer than aculeus.

Male abdomen ( Fig. 59 ): General color and scale pattern as in female. Tergites 1–7 rectangular, with 1–2 posterior rows of setae, otherwise evenly covered by scales; trichoid sensilla not detectable. Tergite 8 mostly undifferentiated from surrounding membrane, sclerotized only medially, without strong setae, evenly covered by scales. Sternites 2–7 unsclerotized both anteriorly and posteriorly, with 1–2 posterior rows of setae and several additional setae at mid length. Sternite 8 less sclerotized but more setulose than preceding sternites, entirely covered by setae. Terminalia ( Fig. 60 ): Gonocoxite massive, evenly covered by strong setae on sclerotized parts; mediobasal lobe prominent, setose. Gonostylus stout and robust, cylindrical, slightly curved, almost same width throughout length, covered by fine setulae on entire surface both dorsally and ventrally, with wide, blunt tooth. Cerci wide, almost completely fused, distally separated by small notch, evenly setulose. Hypoproct considerably narrower than fused cerci, with very shallow apical notch. Paramere wide and robust, evenly covered by strongly curved setae, with apical pair of setae on elevated bases. Aedeagus considerably longer than paramere, slender, cylindrical, blunt, hardly narrowed toward tip.

Larva. – Unknown.

Pupa. – Unknown.

Holotype – Ψ, Israel, Akko , 20.VII.1996, N. Dorchin, reared from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum stem.

Paratypes – All material from Israel, Akko , reared by N. Dorchin from Arthrocnemum macrostachyum stems unless otherwise noted. 6 Ψ, 3 ɗ, same data as holotype; 5Ψ, 1ɗ, 26.VII.1997; 1Ψ, 29.VIII.1998; 1ɗ, 12.VIII.2002, N. Dorchin and A. Freidberg; 1Ψ, 3ɗ, 20.VIII.2002, N. Dorchin and A. Dorchin.

Distribution. – Israel ( Akko salt marsh).

Etymology: The name crispa , an adjective, is Latin for “curly”, referring to the striking setae on the aculeus of the female ovipositor.

Biology: The species develops in single chambered, inconspicuous stem infestation in Arthrocnemum macrostachyum . As in Houardiella gracilis , all adults were reared from material in which no infestations were observed, hence the immature stages are unknown.

Remarks. – Based on ovipositor morphology, this new species belongs to a small group within the genus Stefaniola , whose very short aculeus differs greatly from the long and dorsally curved aculeus typical of most described Stefaniola species. This attribute is shared by S. defoliata Dorchin , S. rufa Dorchin , and S. siliqua Dorchin , all reared from Suaeda monoica ( Dorchin 2001) , and a yet undescribed species from other Suaeda species in Israel. However, S. crispa differs from these species in its longer ovipositor and in the strikingly long setae on the aculeus. The only other species in the subtribe Baldratiina, in which similar, but relatively shorter, curled setae are found are Izeniola bassiae and I. potanini . The new species is currently placed in Stefaniola , although a much-needed genetic analysis of the Baldratiina may reveal that the five Stefaniola species mentioned above form a distinct group that does not belong in this genus.

Figures

FIGURES 54 – 60. Stefaniola crispa. 54. Head. 55. Apical flagellomeres. 56. Acropod, ventral (left), lateral (right). 57. Segments 6 – 8 of female abdomen. Stefaniola crispa. 58. Ovipositor, lateral. 59. Segments 6 – 8 of male abdomen. 60. Male terminalia, dorsal. All parts sheathed by the cerci are shown as would be seen if the cerci were removed. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.