Psephodiplosis rubi Kolesik

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 : 60-62

Psephodiplosis rubi Kolesik

[ Figs 35 a–j]

Psephodiplosis rubi Kolesik, 2017 , in Kolesik et al. (2017: 2).

Material. Holotype, male (deposited in South Australian Museum, Adelaide ( SAMA) 29–004698), reared from leaf galls on Rubus nebulosus A.R.Bean collected in Border Range National Park, New South Wales, Australia, 18- ix-2014 & 26-iii-2013. Other material: males, females and pupae (same data as holotype); males, females, larvae, SAMA) reared from similar galls on Rubus moorei F.Muell. collected at Springbrook, Queensland, 28-ii & 8-xi- 2007 and Lamington National Park, Queensland, 18.iv.2013. The presence of this species in Indonesia is speculated based on the occurrence of similar galls on the related Rubus moluccanus L. recorded by DvLR & DvL (1926, gall No. 495, Fig. 346 [ Fig. 35a ]) ( Kolesik et al. 2017). Rubus moluccanus occurs in South East Asia but also in Australia where its distribution range overlaps with those of R. nebulosus and R. moorei , the other hosts (Atlas of Living Australia 2019.

Description. Adult (from Kolesik et al. 2017). Occipital protuberance absent. Palpus 1-segmented. Wing with R 5 curved to join C beyond wing apex, C with break at juncture with R 5, R apparent. Tarsal claws toothed, strongly bent at basal third; empodia reaching bend in claws [ Fig. 35i ].

Male. Flagellomeres binodal, with 1 circumfilum on basal node, 2 on distal [ Fig. 35g ]. Terminalia [ Fig. 35j ]: gonocoxite with small mesobasal lobe, apodemes separated at base; gonostylus setulose basally, carinate beyond, with comb-like tooth; aedeagus short, no longer than hypoproct, robust, with numerous asetose papillae; cerci widely separated, ovoid; hypoproct bilobed, with many setae.

Female. Flagellomeres cylindrical, circumfila bowed, with numerous connections along vertical strands [ Fig. 35h ]. Cerci ovoid, with long and short setae basally, blunt, thickened setae at midlength and much shorter, pointed setae apically [ Fig. 35f ]; hypoproct hemispherical, with several setae [ Fig. 35f ].

Pupa. Vertex with pair of short setae cervical papillae. Antennae greatly produced anteriorly, mesal edge unevenly serrate, with field of asetose papillae mesobasally [ Fig. 35e ].

Larva. Spatular tooth triangular, shaft undeveloped [ Fig. 35d ]. Terminal segment with 6 short-setose papillae.

Biology. This species causes hairy spherical galls on Rubus nebulosus (Rosaceae) [ Fig. 35c ], R. moorei [ Fig. 35b ], R. moluccanus and R. alceifolius ( Kolesik et al. 2017) . Their appearance on R. moluccanus is as follows (DvLR & DvL (1926, gall No. 495, Fig. 346 [ Fig. 35a ]). Galls are produced on the leaf underside, are spheroid, 2–6 mm across and covered with a thick yellow-brown or gray hair. Their presence on the upperside of the leaf is marked only by the same brown hairs. On R. alceifolius galls appear not only on leaves but on leaf stalks ( Kolesik et al. (2017).

Geographical distribution. This species is known from Australia on R. nebulosus and R. moorei ; its presence in Indonesia (on R. moluccanus ) and Thailand (on R. alceifolius Poir. , is based on evidence of galls similar to those found in Australia ( Kolesik et al. 2017). In Indonesia it was found in Java and Sumba by DvLR & DvL (1926) at the following localities. Java: Mt Ungaran, alt. 800 m, xii-1909; alt. 1000 m, xi-1919; Depok, alt. 100 m, viii-1918; Mt Tugu, near Cibeber, alt. 1000 m, vi-1923; Mt Panisian, near Bogor, alt. 700 m, xii-1923; Mt Salak, alt. 1000 m, ii-1925. Sumba: Kananggar, alt. 700 m, v-1925.

Figures

FIGURES 35a–j. Psephodiplosis rubi: a, galls on Rubus moluccanus in Indonesia (Fig. 346 of DvLR & DvL (1926)), b, galls on Rubus moorei, c, galls on Rubus nebulosus, d, larval head through 1st thoracic segment, e, pupal antennal horns (dorsal), f, end of ovipositor (ventrolateral), g, 6th male flagellomere, h, 6th female flagellomere, i, male tarsal claw with empodium, j, male terminalia (dorsal). Galls and insects in b–j from Australia. Photos in Figs b, c by Casey R. Hall, Figs d–j from Kolesik et al. (2017).