Asphondylia capsicicola Uechi, Yukawa & Tokuda

Kolesik, Peter & Gagné, Raymond J., 2020, A review of the gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) of Indonesia: taxonomy, biology and adult key to genera, Zootaxa 4847 (1), pp. 1-82 : 12-13

Asphondylia capsicicola Uechi, Yukawa & Tokuda

[ Fig. 4a ]

Asphondylia capsicicola Uechi, Yukawa & Tokuda, 2016 in Uechi et al. (2016: 4) .

Type series. Holotype male (slide No CPS001), paratypes (male, 7 females, pupa, 3 pupal exuviae, 2 larvae, CPS002–CP0015) and other slide-mounted and ethanol-stored specimens are deposited in the collection of the Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan and in the collection of the [Bogor] Zoological Museum, Cibinong, Indonesia ( Uechi et al. 2016). We did not find it necessary to examine the types of this species. Uechi et al. (2016) described the morphology and infestation symptoms, and sequenced COI mitochondrial gene fragment (GenBank accession numbers LC164724 – LC164733 , LC167140 – LC167146 ).

Morphology. Both sexes, pupae and larvae of this species are described in Uechi et al. (2016). The authors compare A. capsicicola to other Asphondylia occurring on Solanum elsewhere in the world.

DNA. The COI sequence of A. capsicicola ( Uechi et al. 2016) shows 0.91–2.52 % intraspecific divergence and>13.62 % divergence to A. yushimai , the closest species with published sequence (GenBank, accessed 14-xii-2019,>95% query cover used).

Biology and geographical distribution. Asphondylia capsicicola causes deformation of the fruit pods of cultivated chili peppers, Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. ( Solanaceae ), in Indonesia and Vietnam ( Uechi et al. 2016, Fig. 1 [ Fig. 4a ]). Usually one, occasionally two or more larvae live in the gall ( Busniah 2014 [as A. capsici ], Uechi et al. 2016). The life cycle lasts 25 days ( Busniah 2014), suggesting a possibility of more than one generation per year. In Indonesia, A. capsicicola has been found at the following localities: Cisarua, near Bogor, Java, alt. 1000 m, on C. annuum (16-iii-2004, 14-i-2016) and C. frutescens (16-iii-2003, 16-iii-2004, 29-xii-2015, 5 & 14-i-2016); Gianyar, Bali on C. annuum (18-iii-2004); Kubang, Guguak district, West Sumatra on C. annuum (1-x-2001) ( Uechi et al. 2016). Plant infestation by A. capsicicola in Bogor area, Indonesia, reached 41% in 2005, suggesting that a potential outbreak of this species could cause severe crop damage ( Maryana et al. (2006), as Asphondylia sp.).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Authors of “The Zoocecidia of the Netherlands East Indies” published in 1926. Left: Jenny Docters van Leeuwen- Reijnvaan (1880–1963) in 1907. Middle: Willem Marius Docters van Leeuwen (1880–1960) in 1926. Right: Mt Gede, collection locality of many Indonesian Cecidomyiidae, 1871 oil painting “River Valley in Java with Mt. Gede and Mt. Pangrango in the Background” by Raden Saleh (Collection of the Tan Family, National Gallery Singapore).

FIGURE 4a. Asphondylia capsicicola: a, gall on Capsicum sp. in South East Asia (Fig. 1 of Uechi et al. (2016). Figs 4b–c. Asphondylia viticola: b, young gall on Causonis trifolia (Fig. 48 of DvLR 1909b); c, mature gall on C. trifolia (Fig. 637 of DvLR & DvL (1926)). Figs 4d–e. Asphondylia yushimai (photos by Atsushi Kikuchi, Hiroshima, Japan, October 2007): d, pupal exuviae in infested pod of Glycine max; e, damage of pod of G. max.