Liriomyza togata (Melander)

Lonsdale, Owen, 2011, The Liriomyza (Agromyzidae: Schizophora: Diptera) of California 2850, Zootaxa 2850 (1), pp. 1-123 : 102

Liriomyza togata (Melander)

Figs 225–228

Antineura togata Melander 1913: 250 .

Haplomyza togata . Hendel 1914: 73; Frick 1952a: 410, 1957: 204 [lectotype designation], 1959: 413.

Liriomyza togata . Steyskal 1980: 141; Spencer & Steyskal 1986: 134.

Liriomyza douglasii Spencer 1981: 228 . Syn. Spencer & Steyskal (1986).

Wing length 1.6mm (♂), 1.7mm (♀). Vein dm-cu usually absent in U.S. specimens. Eye height divided by gena height: 2.9–5.3. Scutum dusted with pruinosity, not grey. Orbital plate slightly, and parafacial and cheek strongly produced .

Chaetotaxy: Two ori (sometimes three), one ors. Acrostichal setulae in two rows.

Colouration: Calypter margin and hairs grey. Head light yellow with ocellar triangle brown and clypeus and back of head dark brown. Scutum with complete yellow lateral stripe; katatergite with small brown posteroventral spot; anatergite brown, becoming darker below scutellum and yellow dorsally lateral to scutellum. Anepisternum yellow with small posteroventral and anteroventral stripes; anepimeron yellow with anterior mottling and posterior margin brown; katepisternum brown below (and not touching) bristle and with small spot behind bristle; meron brown with dorsal margin yellow. Legs yellow with base of fore coxa, basal half of mid coxa and basal ¾ of hind coxa brown, base of femora infrequently brown, fore tibia light brown with base fading to yellow, mid tibia brown dorsally with venter slightly paler, hind tibia dark brown with venter paler, and tarsus brown, becoming paler to base. Abdomen brown with thin medial stripe on tergite 2, and posterior and broad lateral margin on tergites yellow.

Genitalia: Figs 225–228 . Surstylus slightly darker than epandrium and with one subapical spine. Basiphallus curved ventrally and mesophallus directed dorsally; left and right margins projecting anteriorly as long, dark bar. Paraphallus flat, lobate and directed laterally from base of mesophallus. Hypophallus with broad membranous base and short subapical hairs. Mesophallus narrowing apically, with ventral suture, and length approximately twice width. Distiphallus globular with rounded, narrower base; distal half relatively dark and enclosing one pair of fringed structures. Ejaculatory apodeme small but well developed, pileus ejaculatorius with truncated, heavily sclerotized ends, and blade dark and semicircular with distal margin thickly-sclerotized.

Variation: One dissected male and one female from Modoc Co. with vein dm-cu present (length of ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by penultimate section 2.9); three ori (female with only two on one side); tarsi pale on basal 2–3 segments and dark on apical segments; mid tibia brownish with dorsum darker; hind tibia dark brown, becoming paler apically; only posterior margin of tergites yellow in female.

Hosts. Asteraceae — Baccharis douglasii ( Spencer, 1981) , Artemisia douglasiana ( Spencer & Steyskal, 1986) .

Range. USA. California [Alpine, Alameda, Modoc*, Nevada, Siskiyou *, Tuolumne], Washington. Kansas, North Dakota, New Mexico and Texas records ( Frick, 1959) are yet to be confirmed.

Type material. Antineura togata : Lectotype, USA. Washington: Pullman , 12.v.1912, A.L. Melander, “ Lectotype Antineura togata Mel., Frick 1957 ” [red label] (1♂, USNM). Liriomyza douglasii : Holotype, USA. California: Nevada Co., Sagehen Creek , near Hobart Mills , 15.vii.1964, sweeping, M. Irwin (1♂, CASC) .

Additional material examined. USA. California: Modoc Co., 5mi S Alturas , 8.vi.1970, J. Powell (1♂ 1♀, EMEC) , Siskiyou Co., Young’s Valley , 31.vii.1971, 4600’, J. Kraemer (1♂, CASC) .

Comments. Liriomyza togata differs from most Nearctic congeners in lacking vein dm-cu, although the male and female from Modoc County have shown that this vein can sometimes be present. When dm-cu is absent, it can easily be mistaken for the similar genus Haplopeodes , and a number of specimens of the more common species H. minutus have been misidentified as L. togata in collections. Haplopeodes minutus can be distinguished from this species as follows: two ori; frons brownish behind eye at level of vertical bristles; tarsi brown (paler on fore legs); tergite 5 yellow in male and with two minute anterior spots in female; epandrium yellow; distiphallus small and clear; hypandrium relatively long and dark with sides close to each other along distal half; ejaculatory apodeme linear.

Figures

FIGURES 225–231. Figs 225–228: Liriomyza togata (Melander), male genitalia; 225: external components, ventral; 226: phallus, ventral; 227: phallus, left lateral; 228: ejaculatory apodeme. Figs 229–231: L. tubula Spencer, male holotype genitalia; 229: ejaculatory apodeme; 230: external components, ventrolateral; 231: phallus, ventrolateral.