Nemorimyza posticata (Meigen)

Eiseman, Charles S. & Lonsdale, Owen, 2018, New state and host records for Agromyzidae (Diptera) in the United States, with the description of thirty new species, Zootaxa 4479 (1), pp. 1-156 : 62-63

Nemorimyza posticata (Meigen)

( Figs. 167–168 )

Material examined. FLORIDA: Highlands Co., Sebring , Highlands Hammock State Park , 29.iii.2013, em. 30.iv.2013, C.S. Eiseman, ex Elephantopus elatus , #CSE395, CNC422917–422919 (2♀ 1 puparium) ; IOWA: Winneshiek Co., Cresco, Cold Water Creek Rd ., 43°25'55.97"N, 92°00'34.78"W, 16.vii.2015, em. 5.viii.2015, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago gigantea , #CSE1962, CNC564703 (1♀); MAINE: Hancock Co., Penobscot, Battle Island , 18.vi.2012, em. 10.vii.2012, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago sempervirens (1♂) ; MASSACHUSETTS: Berkshire Co., Lenox, Mahanna Cobble , 12.vii.2016, em. 2.viii.2016, C.S. Eiseman, ex Euthamia graminifolia, #CSE2836, CNC654234 (1♂) ; Franklin Co., Northfield, 276 Old Wendell Rd. , 30.ix.2013, em. 26.iii–1.iv.2014, C.S. Eiseman, ex Euthamia graminifolia, #CSE1027, CNC384779 , CNC384780 (1♂ 1♀) ; 11.x.2013, em. 27.iii.2014, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago canadensis var. hargeri , #CSE1032, CNC384732 (1♂); 2.vii.2016, em. 25.vii.2016, C.S. Eiseman, ex Euthamia graminifolia, #CSE2808, CNC659964 (1♂); Northfield, Crag Mountain , 16.x.2013, em. 29–31.iii.2014, C.S. Eiseman, ex Oclemena acuminata, #CSE1039, CNC384754–384757 (3♂ 1♀) ; Northfield , 42.650397, -72.432021, 23.viii.2016, em. 1.v.2017, C.S. Eiseman, ex Doellingeria umbellata , #CSE3607, CNC939723 (1♂) ; Hampshire Co., Northampton, Mineral Hills , 28.ix.2013, em. 27.iii.2014, C.S. Eiseman, ex Symphyotrichum puniceum , #CSE1031, CNC384792 (1♀) ; Northampton, bikeway west of King St. , 13.ix.2013, em. 29.iii.2014, C.S. Eiseman, ex Symphyotrichum cordifolium , #CSE1041, CNC384734 (1♀) ; Nantucket Co., Nantucket, Dead Horse Valley , 6.viii.2012, em. 26.viii.2012, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago altissima , #CSE45, CNC480533 (1♂) ; Nantucket, Ice Pond Lot, 5.viii.2012, em. 26.viii.2012, C.S. Eiseman, ex Baccharis halimifolia , #CSE46, CNC480534 (1♀); Nantucket , UMass field station, 11.vi.2013, em. 2.vii.2013, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago altissima , #CSE641, CNC384796 (1♀) ; Nantucket, Squam Swamp, 12.vi.2013, em. 3.vii.2013, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago latissimifolia , #CSE646, CNC392660 (1♂); MISSOURI: Franklin Co., Gray Summit, Shaw Nature Reserve , 1.vii.2015, em. 27.vii.2015, C.S. Eiseman, ex Helianthus ?hirsutus, #CSE1869, CNC564677 (1♂) ; NEW YORK: Essex Co., Upper Jay, near Bartlett Rd. , 3.vi.2012, em. by 1.vii.2012, C.S. Eiseman, ex Solidago basal leaf (1♂) ; NORTH CAROLINA: Scotland Co., Laurinburg, St. Andrews University , 15.v.2015, em. 7.vi.2015, T.S. Feldman, ex Solidago, #CSE1592, CNC564670 (1♂) ; OHIO: Adams Co., West Union, Eulett Center (4274 Waggoner Riffle Road ), 30.vii.2016, em. 19.viii.2016, C.S. Eiseman, ex Vernonia , #CSE2917, CNC654484 , CNC654485 (2♀) ; Delaware Co., Sunbury, Monkey Hollow Rd. , 2.viii.2016, em. 24.viii.2016, C.S. Eiseman, ex Teucrium canadense , #CSE2934, CNC638881 (1♂) ; Franklin Co., Columbus, 273 Highfield Drive , 27.viii.2017, em. 6.v.2018, C.S. Eiseman, ex Vernonia gigantea , #CSE4501 ; OKLAHOMA: Payne Co., Mehan , 36.014339° N, 96.996744° W, 24.viii.2015, em. 14.ix.2015, M.W. Palmer, ex Elephantopus carolinianus , #CSE2056, CNC654005 (1♂) ; 13.x.2015, em. 11.iv.2016, M.W. Palmer, ex Elephantopus carolinianus , #CSE2363, CNC653989 (1♂); 18.viii.2017, em. 13.ix.2017, M.W. Palmer, ex Vernonia baldwinii , #CSE4258, CNC939891 (1♀); TENNESSEE: Davidson Co., Oak Hill, Radnor Lake , 22.viii.2017, em. 19–23.ix.2017, C.S. Eiseman, ex Polymnia canadensis , #CSE4291, CNC939947–939956 (4♂ 6♀) ; TEXAS: Edwards Co., 1.3 miles NW of Campwood , 16.iii.2017, em. 30.iv.2017, C.S. Eiseman, ex Verbesina virginica , #CSE3600, CNC941261 (1♀).

Hosts. Asteraceae : Baccharis halimifolia L., Doellingeria umbellata (Mill.) Nees , * Elephantopus carolinianus Raeusch. , E. elatus Bertol. , * Euthamia graminifolia (L.) Nutt., * Helianthus L., * Oclemena acuminata (Michx.) Greene, * Polymnia canadensis L., Solidago * altissima L. , S. bicolor L., S. caesia L., S. canadensis L., S. flexicaulis L., S. gigantea Aiton , S. juncea Aiton, S. * latissimifolia Mill. , S. nemoralis Aiton, S. * sempervirens L. , S. tortifolia Elliott, Symphyotrichum * cordifolium (L.) G.L. Nesom, S. laeve (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve, S. lanceolatum (Willd.) G.L. Nesom (as Aster ramosissimus Torr. & A. Gray), S. novae-angliae (L.) G.L. Nesom, S. * puniceum (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve, S. undulatum (L.) G.L. Nesom, * Verbesina virginica L., * Vernonia baldwinii Torr., V. * gigantea (Walter) Trel. ; * Lamiaceae : Teucrium canadense L. ( Frick 1959; Spencer & Stegmaier 1973; Mlynarek et al. 2016). The origin of the Erechtites hieraciifolius (L.) Raf. ex DC. record listed by Spencer & Steyskal (1986) is unclear. Spencer (1981) listed Erechtites among the known hosts of Nemorimyza posticata , but this appears to be its first appearance in the literature. We have examined E. hieraciifolius plants in multiple locations but have only found mines of N. maculosa (Malloch) and Phyllocnistis insignis (Frey & Boll) ( Lepidoptera , Gracillariidae ). We have seen probable mines of N. posticata on Baccharis pilularis DC., Elephantopus tomentosus L., and Eurybia divaricata (L.) G.L. Nesom.

Leaf mine. ( Figs. 167–168 ) A large, upper surface blotch mine with conspicuous feeding lines ( Spencer & Steyskal 1986; Fig. 168 ), although these are not always obvious in reflected light. Brown, liquidy frass is typically smeared throughout, but in mines on Symphyotrichum it tends to be concentrated centrally, leaving clean, pale green margins ( Fig. 167 ). In our experience the mine is virtually always initially trumpet-shaped, proceeding distally along the leaf margin. One mine was formed at the tip of a Solidago leaf and resembled the mines from which we have reared Nemorimyza maculosa on other hosts (as in Fig. 166 ). Most mines on Euthamia were similar and they occupied the entire leaf when complete.

Puparium. Brown, formed outside the mine.

Distribution. Widespread in the US and Canada; Costa Rica; Venezuela ( Martinez & Etienne 2002); Europe; Japan.

Comments. Only females were reared from the mines on Elephantopus elatus , but the blotches had the characteristic feeding lines of N. posticata and were initially trumpet-shaped, proceeding distally along the leaf margin, as with the mines on other hosts from which we have reared N. posticata . Up to three mines were found per leaf, and one large blotch contained two larvae, but because they were radically different in size we presume that this was the result of two separate mines merging.

Figures

FIGURES 165–170. leaf mines; 165: Nemorimyza maculosa (Malloch) in Erechtites hieraciifolius (transmitted light, larvae at left); 166: N. maculosa in Erigeron canadensis (reflected light); 167: N. posticata (Meigen) in Symphyotrichum puniceum (reflected light); 168: N. posticata in Teucrium canadense (transmitted light, larva at left); 169: Phytoliriomya felti (Malloch) in Pellaea glabella (reflected light); 170: P. felti in Asplenium platyneuron (transmitted light; puparia visible in four mines).