Melanagromyza, Hendel, 1920

Eiseman, Charles S. & Lonsdale, Owen, 2019, New State and Host Records for Agromyzidae (Diptera) in the United States, with the Description of Ten New Species, Zootaxa 4661 (1), pp. 1-39 : 5

Melanagromyza sp. 1

Material examined. IOWA: Winneshiek Co., Malanaphy Springs , 18.ii.2017, em. 13.vi.2017, J. van der Linden, ex Polymnia , #CSE3881, CNC940112 (1♀) .

Host. Asteraceae : Polymnia canadensis L.

Larval biology. Internal stem borer.

Puparium. Formed within the stem.

Comments. This female belongs to the Melanagromyza virens group and is most similar to M. vernoniae Steyskal , a stem borer of Vernonia noveboracensis known from DC and MD, but a male specimen would be needed for positive identification. No Melanagromyza is known from Polymnia L.; the Venezuelan M. polymniae Spencer is recorded from “ Polymnia riparia ” ( Spencer 1990) but this plant is now treated as Smallanthus riparius (Kunth) H. Rob.