Planetella tumorifica (Rübsaamen, 1899)

Ševčík, Jan, Hippa, Heikki, Burdíková, Nikola, Sopuch, Kryštof, Skuhravá, Marcela & Bruun, Hans Henrik, 2023, Integrative taxonomy of Central European Planetella (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) indicates high species diversity, intraspecific variation and low host specificity, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 63 (2), pp. 413-450 : 445

Planetella tumorifica (Rübsaamen, 1899)

Hormomyia tumorifica Rübsaamen, 1899b: 603 . Type locality: Germany, Berlin.

Type material. SYNTYPEs: 4 JJ 2 ♀♀ 2 exuviae, Berlin, 14.iii.–29.

iv.1896, Carex pseudobrizoides , leg.Thurau (vial No. 384a, coll. ZMHB

Berlin), examined.

Comments. The description in RȖBsAAMEN (1899d, the same paper where P. tuberifica is also described) contains a text without figures, stating that abdomen is reddish with strip-like black spots dorsally, thorax dull red, scutum glossy black, male antennae with 2 + 12 flagellomeres. It is also said that lobes of ‘lamelles’ are not rounded like in Hormomyia tuberifica and long lamella (hypoproct?) is not laterally excavated. The aedeagus is reported as very long. Larvae were found in similar galls as P. tuberifica , but on leaves of Carex pseudocyperus .

Male terminalia studied (but not cleared in KOH) and photographed by us. They are very similar to Planetella riparia Ševčík & Hippa sp. nov., except in the shape of hypoproct, which is more rectangular apically in P. riparia , and the shape of cerci which appear more pointed in P. tumorifica . Considering these differences and a large number of Planetella species with 12 flagellomeres, including Planetella sp. B (see below), the closest relative of P. riparia sp. nov. ( Fig. 15), we prefer to treat all these species as distinct.