Dizygomyza Hendel

Boucher, Stéphanie, 2005, Description of an unusual new Costa Rican species of Cerodontha (Dizygomyza) with additional notes on Neotropical species of Dizygomyza (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Zootaxa 993, pp. 1-8 : 2

Subgenus Dizygomyza Hendel

Cerodontha (Dizygomyza) Hendel 1920:130 (Type species: Agromyza morosa Meigen, 1838 )

Diagnosis. Adults of Dizygomyza species can be distinguished from other subgenera of Cerodontha by their large, semicircular lunule, widely separated antennal bases and usually enlarged first flagellomere in males.

Distribution. The subgenus Dizygomyza is present in all major biogeographic realms except Australia ( Spencer 1977), but most species are Nearctic and/or Palaearctic in distribution.

Host plants. All Cerodontha species are miners on Monocotyledoneae. Members of the subgenus Dizygomyza are so far known to be leaf miners on plants in the families Cyperaceae , Juncaceae , Iridaceae , Poaceae ( Spencer and Steyskal 1986, Spencer 1990) and Liliaceae sensu lato ( Tofieldia glutinosa (Michx.) Pers. (G.C.D. Griffiths, pers.comm.). In the Neotropical region, the host plant has been confirmed for only one undescribed species, known from the immature stage. Specimens of this species, included in the subgenus Dizygomyza due to the presence of a pair of black thoracic horns were found feeding on Cyperus tenuis Sw. (Cyperaceae) in Venezuela (Caracas) ( Spencer 1963; Spencer 1990). Another Holarctic species, Cerodontha (D.) luctuosa (Meigen) recorded here for the first time in the Neotropical region, is known to feed on Juncus spp. ( Juncaceae ) ( Nowakowski 1972; Spencer and Steyskal 1986).