Liriomyza conclavis, Lonsdale, 2011

Lonsdale, Owen, 2011, The Liriomyza (Agromyzidae: Schizophora: Diptera) of California 2850, Zootaxa 2850 (1), pp. 1-123 : 41-42

Liriomyza conclavis spec. nov.

Figs 72–75

Wing length 1.7mm (♂). Female unknown. Length of ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by penultimate section: 3.2. Eye height divided by gena height: 5.6. Scutum subshining. First flagellomere relatively large and quadrate, highest subapically.

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

Colouration: Calypter margin and hairs brown. Back of head, posterolateral corner of frons (broadly enclosing vertical bristles), ocellar triangle and lateral margin of frons (encompassing ors) dark brown; centre of face faintly brown; venter of gena with light brown stripe; first flagellomere infuscated with basal margin yellow on outer face and basal 1/3 yellow on inner face. Lateral yellow stripe on scutum with brown postsutural mottling. Laterotergites brown with katatergite and dorsal region lateral to scutellum paler. Dorsal ¼ of anepisternum with irregular yellow stripe; anepimeron dark brown with limited yellowish mottling; meron brown with dorsal margin yellow; katepisternum dark brown with posterodorsal margin (excluding corner) yellow. Basal half of fore coxa brown, basal half of mid coxa brown with ventral half mottled, and mid coxa brown; femora mostly yellow with base, broad outer stripe on fore femur (fading distally) and scraper brown; tibiae and tarsi brown with base of fore tibia yellow. Abdomen brown with lateral margin yellow (broadly yellow on tergite 5).

Genitalia: Figs 72–75 . Surstylus with two long subapical spines. Swollen apical section ejaculatory duct with subbasal attachment thinner section. Paraphallus thin. Hypophallus long and thin. Distiphallus dark, barrel-shaped in ventral view for most of length, with complete ventral suture and slight medial constriction; venter weakly sclerotized; apical chamber broad, dorsally angled, thick-walled and enclosing paired fringed structures. Ejaculatory apodeme with pileus ejaculatorius broad and truncated at ends with apical and basal margins darker; stem short and blade pale and broadly rounded.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin for “conclave / closed room”, referring to the thickwalled chamber at the apex of the phallus.

Host. Unknown.

Range. USA. California [San Bernardino].

Type material. Holotype, USA. California: San Bernardino Co., Providence Mts. , Gilroy Cyn., 4500’, 30.iii.1984, J.D. Pinto, UCRC ENT 235245 (1♂, UCR).

Comments. The phallus of Liriomyza subasclepiadis Spencer (host: Asclepias speciosa ) from Washington state is similar to that of L. conclavis , although the paraphallus is longer and curved apically, the apical chamber of the distiphallus is longer and the blade of the ejaculatory apodeme is small. The eye is also three times the height of the gena, the length of the ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by the penultimate section is 2.0–2.5, and most importantly, the orbital plate is entirely yellow and the first flagellomere is small, ovate and entirely yellow. The phallus of the Canadian L. asclepiadis Spencer (host: Asclepias spp. ) is also similar in that the distiphallus is dark and barrel-shaped with a large apical chamber, but the distiphallus is broader past a stronger medial constriction, and the apical chamber is more angulate in outline and more strongly angled dorsally. Furthermore, the first flagellomere of this species is small, pale and rounded, the inner vertical bristle is on the border of the brown posterolateral region of the frons (not broadly enclosed), the femora are entirely yellow and the tibiae and tarsi are paler. The terminalia of L. venegasiae are also similar, but the distiphallus of this species is larger and directed distally (not apically), the mesophallus is distinct, and the antenna, orbital plate and thorax are paler.

The new species is also similar to the European taxa L. approximata (Hendel) , which differs as follows: palpus dark; centre of frons darker; “jowls” brown; first flagellomere small and round; mesonotum matt; scutellum entirely dark with centre yellowish; pleuron and legs entirely dark; distiphallus longer. Liriomyza valerianae is also similar, but differs in having no paraphallus, a basal attachment to the swollen apical section of the ejaculatory duct, and a broader, darker distiphallus that is directed apically (not angled dorsally). The host of L. approximata is Daphne mezereum (Thymelaeaceae) , and those of L. valerianae are Valeriana, Centhranthus and Valerianella (Valerianaceae) ( Benavent-Corai et al., 2005).

Figures

FIGURES 69–75. Figs 69–71: Liriomyza californiensis Spencer, male holotype phallus; 69: phallus, ventral, from original figure in Spencer (1981); 70: phallus, ventral, non-type, ventral; 71: phallus, right lateral, holotype. Figs 72–75: L. conclavis spec. nov., male holotype genitalia; 72: ejaculatory apodeme; 73: external components, ventral; 74: phallus, ventral; 75: phallus, left lateral.