Aulagromyza nitida (Malloch)

Lonsdale, Owen, 2021, Manual of North American Agromyzidae (Diptera, Schizophora), with revision of the fauna of the " Delmarva " states, ZooKeys 1051, pp. 1-481 : 1

Aulagromyza nitida (Malloch)

Figs 88 , 431-434 , 435

Agromyza nitida Malloch, 1913a: 288. Frick 1952a: 373.

Phytagromyza nitida . Frick, 1953: 74, 1959: 417.

Paraphytomyza nitida . Spencer, 1969: 207; Spencer and Steyskal 1986b: 163.

Aulagromyza nitida . von Tschirnhaus, 1991: 305; Scheffer et al. 2007: 771.

Description

(Figs 88 , 435 ). Wing length 1.9-2.0 mm (♂), 1.9-2.2 mm (♀). Length of ultimate section of vein M4 divided by penultimate section: 2.4-2.8. Eye height divided by gena height: 3.7-5.0. First flagellomere relatively narrow, not higher than pedicel. Fronto-orbital plate slightly projecting, especially anteriorly. Gena horizontal on posterior 1/2, angled upwards on anterior 1/2. Proboscis relatively narrow, elongate, and geniculate. M1+2 weak. Cross-veins separated by length of dm-m. Ocellar triangle as long as wide.

Chaetotaxy: Three ori; two ors (slightly curved inwards, difficult to differentiate from ori). Ocellar seta as long as or slightly longer than tubercle, sometimes narrower than postocellar; postocellar longer, well-developed. Orbital setulae very few in number, weak, slightly reclinate. Two dorsocentrals, anterior seta 1/2-3/5 length. Six irregular rows of acrostichal setulae.

Colouration: Setae dark brown. Body predominantly dark brown, subshiny. Antenna brownish yellow with distal 2/3 or more of first flagellomere brown; clypeus and back of head brown; frons brownish yellow with ocellar triangle dark brown and dark spot at base of vertical setae extending to posterior or anterior ors along eye margin; remainder of fronto-orbital plate variably brownish from lateral margin; lunule, gena, palpus and parafacial yellow with shiny brown strip along ventral margin of gena; mouthparts brownish, partly brown along proboscis; face brown to dark brown, sometimes becoming paler laterally. Postpronotum light yellow to dirty white with brown anterior spot or anterior region fading to brown, but sometimes only posterior margin pale; notopleuron often paler brown with posterior margin sometimes yellowish. Fore knee (and occasionally mid and hind knees) yellowish. Halter yellow. Calypter margin and hairs dark brown. Wing veins brown.

Genitalia: (Figs 431-434 ) Surstylus separate from epandrium, minutely setose, small and rounded with extended posterobasal margin. Cerci separated by membranous region with weakly sclerotised transverse striations. Subepandrial sclerite composed of two converging lateral arms that are weakly connected to one pair of apical setae. Hypandrium stout and broadly rounded with apex slightly produced; inner lobe with small medial floating setose sclerite, and separate, narrow, curved sclerite with several basal setulae. Postgonite long and narrow with apex cleft and setulose. Phallus weakly sclerotised. Plates of basiphallus broad with bases converging and interlocking. Paraphallus small and leaf-like with apices pointed and bent. Mesophallus short, curved dorsally, laterally flattened, fused to distiphallus. Distiphallus bifid on distal 1/2 with slightly wider apical cups. Ejaculatory apodeme short and not strongly widened apically.

Host.

Unknown - likely a stem miner on Galium ( Rubiaceae ) based on similarities to related species ( Spencer 1990).

Distribution.

Canada: AB. USA: CO*, CT*, DC*, IA, IL, KS, MD, NC, NY*, VA, WA*.

Type material.

Holotype: USA. MD: Cabin John Bridge, 28.iv.1912, Knab and Malloch (1♀, USNM; type No. 15566).

Additional material examined.

Canada. AB: George Lk., 21.vi.1966, K.A. Spencer, CNC165181 (1♀, CNC) . USA. CO: Boulder , Flagstaff Cn., 1767 m, on side of stream, 10.vi.1961, C.H. Mann, CNC358592 (1♀, CNC), CT: Stamford, 18.v.1919, A.H. Stutevant Collection, 1970 (1♀, USNM), DC: 11.vi.1926, J.M Aldrich (1♀, USNM), IL: White Heath, 8.v.1915, J.M. Aldrich (1♂, USNM), KS: Nat. Hist. Res., Lawrence, 26.v.1956, J.G. Chillcott, CNC391383, CNC391384 (2♂, CNC), 27.iii.1954, CNC358595, CNC358596 (2♂, CNC), 28.iv.1956, CNC391380-391382, CNC391385-391393, CNC358593-358594,CNC358597-358598 (16♂, CNC), MD: Lavale, 9.v.1970, G. Steyskal (1♂, USNM), Montgomery Co., Bethseda, 5.v.1968, L.V. Knutson (1♀, USNM), Bethseda, 4.v.1969, G. Steyskal (1♂, USNM), NY: Tuxedo, 29.v.1926, A.L. Melander (1♂, USNM), VA: Chain Bridge, 23.iv.1922, J.R. Malloch (1♀, USNM), Fairfax Co. , Turkey Run Park, nr. Headquarters bldg. 38°57.7'N, 77°08.9'N, Malaise trap, 29.iii-17.iv.2007, D.R.Smith (2♂, USNM), Turkey Run Park, 0.3 km W mouth Turkey Run, 38°58'N, 77°09.6'W, Malaise trap, 29.iii-25.iv.2007, D.R.Smith (2♂ 6♀, USNM), Great Falls Park, swamp trail, 38°59.4'N, 77°15.2'W, Malaise trap, 18.iv-2.v.2007, D.R.Smith, trap #2 (1♂ 1♀, USNM), WA: Vashon, 28.v.1937, A.L. Melander (1♀, USNM) .

Comments.

The two common Delmarva Aulagromyza , A. nitida and A. orbitalis , are primarily brown with whitish shoulders, and can occur in relatively large numbers. The only other common eastern Aulagromyza is A. luteoscutellata ( Spencer and Steyskal 1986b: figs 1044-1046), which has a more yellowish head and notum, and is found in Europe, Canada, and the northern United States.

Figures

Figures 84 - 91. Amauromyza flavifrons (Meigen), head 84 anterior 85 lateral 86, 87 Amauromyza karli (Hendel), head 86 dorsal 87 lateral 88 Aulagromyza nitida (Malloch), male, lateral 89 Aulagromyza tridentata (Loew), male, lateral 90, 91 Calycomyza enceliae Spencer, male, on bush sunflower (R. Hemberger - California, Irvine).

Figures 431 - 434. Aulagromyza nitida (Malloch), male genitalia 431 hypandrium and postgonite, ventral 432 external genitalia, anterior (subepandrial sclerite shaded) 433 hypandrial complex, left lateral 434 phallus, ventral.

Figures 435 - 441. wings 435 Aulagromyza nitida (Malloch) 436 A. orbitalis (Melander) 437 - 441 A. orbitalis, male genitalia 437 ejaculatory apodeme 438 external genitalia, ventral 439 hypandrium and postgonite, ventral 440 phallus, left lateral 441 phallus, ventral.