Asphondylia microcapillata Maia, 2005

Maia, Valéria Cid & Fernandes, G. Wilson, 2005, Two new species of Asphondyliini (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) associated with Bauhinia brevipes (Fabaceae) in Brazil, Zootaxa 1091 (1), pp. 27-40 : 28-33

Asphondylia microcapillata Maia sp.n.

( Figs. 1–15 )

Adult. Body length: 3.4–4.0 mm in male (n = 5); 2.1–3.5 mm in female (from vertex to bilobed structure at posterior end of tergite 8) (n = 5). Head ( Figs. 1 & 2 ): Eye facets hexa­ gonal, closely appressed. Antenna: scape cylindrical elongate, setose; pedicel shortcylindrical, setose; male and female flagellomeres cylindrical, flagellomere necks bare. Proportions of last 4 male flagellomeres as in Fig. 3 (in male). Antennae unavailable in female (broken). Flagellomeres 1 and 2 not connate. Circumfila anastomosing in male and as 2 interconnected rings in female ( Figs. 4, 5 ). Frontoclypeus with about 40 setae. Labrum long­attenuate with 3 pairs of ventral sensory setae. Hypopharynx of same shape as labrum, with long, anteriorly directed lateral setulae. Labella elongate­convex, each with several lateral setae and several pairs of short mesal sensory setae. Palpus with 3 setose crescent cylindrical segments: segment 1 shortest, segments 2 and 3 elongate and subequal in length.

Thorax: Anepimeron setose, other pleural sclerites asetose. Wing length (from arculus to apex): 2.3–2.5 mm in male (n = 5); 1.9–2.9 mm in female (n = 5). First tarsomeres with apical spur 0.025–0.03 mm long in male (n = 5), 0.035 mm in female (n = 2). Tarsal claws simple, robust and strongly curved near midlength, similar in shape on 3 pairs of legs; empodia well developed, as long as bend in claws ( Fig. 6 ).

Abdomen. Male ( Fig. 7 ): tergites 1–7 rectangular with complete row of posterior setae, several lateral setae, 2 basal trichoid sensilla and elsewhere with scattered scales. Tergite 8 constricted mesally with only 2 trichoid sensilla as vestiture. Sternites 2–7 rectangular with setae more abundant at midlength, complete row of posterior setae and 2 basal trichoid sensilla; sternite 8 ovoid with several scattered setae and 2 basal trichoid sensilla. Female ( Fig. 8 ): tergites 1–7 as in male. Tergite 8 notched laterally with 2 basal trichoid sensilla. Sternites 2–6 as in male. Sternite 7 with scattered setae and 2 basal trichoid sensilla. Sternite 8 not sclerotized.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 9 ): gonocoxites wide and setose; gonostylus short, ovoid, and setose, with 2 sclerotized teeth; cercus reniform, completely separate and setose; hypoproct sligthly bilobed and setose; parameres absent; aedeagus triangular, tapering gradually toward apex, pointed apically.

Ovipositor ( Fig. 8 ) protrusible and needlelike, needle part 1.7–2.2 as long as sternite 7 (n = 4).

Pupa. Color: brownish. Length: 3.55–4.1 mm (n = 5). Head ( Fig. 10 ): antennal horn triangular, long (0.16–0.23 mm, n = 5), with serrated margin; cephalic seta 0.04–0.07 mm long (n = 5); upper frontal horns bilobed (length: 0.01 mm, n = 5); lower frontal horn absent; 2 pairs of lower facial papillae (1 pair asetose, other pair with seta 0.01–0.02 mm long, n = 5); 3 pairs of lateral facial papillae (1 pair with seta 0.015–0.02 mm long and 2 pairs asetose). Upper cephalic margin thickened laterally. Thorax: prothoracic spiracle setiform, elongate and curved, 0.16–0.20 mm long (n = 5) ( Fig. 11 ). Abdomen ( Fig. 12 ): segments 2–9 with transverse rows of crescent dorsal spines.

Larva. Body elongate, cylindrical, and tapered at both ends. Color: yellow. Length: 1.8–2.6 mm (n = 5). Integument rough. Spatula with 2 well developed teeth and relatively short stalk; surrounding area not pigmented; sternal papillae setose; 4 setose lateral papillae on each side of spatula ( Fig.13 ). Terminal segment short, convex, with 4 pairs of terminal papillae ( Fig. 14 ).

Gall ( Fig. 15 ). The spheroid leaf galls are covered with short, whitish trichomes. The gall is positioned between the adaxial leaf laminae and has a single chamber where a single galling larva is found. The two polar regions of the spheroid galls collapse the twolobed leaves of Bauhinia brevipes . At the beginning of gall formation, the trichomes are whitish but may change color as the galls mature, and when exposed to direct sunlight may present reddish tones at the distal portion of the trichomes.

Material examined. Holotype male. BRAZIL, Minas Gerais: Três Marias , XII.2004, F. Almeida leg., MNRJ . Paratypes: same data as holotype: 2 males and 5 females . Same locality and date, E. C. Pereira leg.: 7 pupae and 8 larvae; J. C. Santos leg.: 1 male . Same locality, 02.XI.2004, G. W. Fernandes leg.: 3 males, MNRJ .

Etymology. The name microcapillata is composed of mikros (small) + capillus (hair), and refers to the presence of short hairs on the gall surface.

Remarks. Asphondylia microcapillata is distinguishable from the other Asphondylia species by the following characters: tarsal claws simple, robust and strongly curved near midlength, male tergite 8 irregular in width, constricted mesally and wide elsewhere; pupal antennal horn triangular and long with serrated margin; upper frontal horns bilobed; lower frontal horn absent; larval spatula with two well­developed teeth and relatively short stalk.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Gall of Asphondylia microcapillata sp. n. on Bauhinia brevipes.

FIGURES 1–6. Asphondylia microcapillata sp. n. 1. Male head (frontal). 2. Female head (frontal). 3. Male antennal flagellomeres 9­12. 4. Male antennal flagellomere 5. 5. Female antennal flagellomere 5. 6. Female, midtarsal claw and empodium (lateral).

FIGURES 7–9. Asphondylia microcapillata sp. n. 7. Male abdominal segment 3 to end (dorsolateral). 8. Female abdominal segment 5 to end (dorsolateral). 9. Male terminalia (dorsal).

FIGURES 10–14. Asphondylia microcapillata sp. n. 10. Pupal head (frontal). 11. Pupal prothoracic spiracle. 12. Pupal terminal segments (dorsal). 13. Larval spatula and associated papillae. 14. Larval terminal segment.