Liriomyza helenii Spencer

Lonsdale, Owen, 2011, The Liriomyza (Agromyzidae: Schizophora: Diptera) of California 2850, Zootaxa 2850 (1), pp. 1-123 : 54-55

Liriomyza helenii Spencer

Figs 116–119

Liriomyza helenii Spencer 1981: 239 . Spencer & Steyskal 1986: 122.

Wing length 1.8–2.0mm (♂), 2.0mm (♀). Length of ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by penultimate section: 2.0–3.8. Eye height divided by gena height: 2.8–4.0. Scutum lightly dusted. First flagellomere relatively large with dorsal margin nearly straight. Parafacial and orbital plate slightly pronounced laterally and cheek evident.

Chaetotaxy: Two ori, two ors; holotype with three ori (reduced right side). Acrostichal setulae in four rows.

Colouration: Calypter margin and hairs brownish grey. Head yellow with first flagellomere darker, ocellar tubercle, back of head, clypeus and posterolateral region of frons to inner vertical bristle (paler between verticals) dark brown; ventral margin of gena with faint stripe (sometimes darker anteriorly). Scutum with complete lateral yellow stripe; katatergite yellow and anatergite brown with posterodorsal corner lateral to scutellum yellow and region below scutellum darker. Anepimeron with extensive anterior and posterior streaking; anepisternum with large anteroventral spot or with ventral 2/3 brown; meron brown with dorsal margin yellow; katepisternum brown on ventral 3/5 to level of bristle. Base of fore and mid coxae brown and basal half of hind coxa brown; base of femora narrowly brown and fore femur sometimes with light dorsal mottling; holotype with fore and hind femora distinctly streaked dorsally; tibiae and tarsi dark brown; paler male with distinct dorsal subapical spots on mid and hind femora.

Genitalia: Figs 116–119 . Surstylus with two subapical spines. Basiphallus elongate and slightly curved. Paraphallus short, dark and directed apically (not ventrally). Hypophallus well developed and with hairs possibly fused. Mesophallus short, with slight lateral compression. Distiphallus not much longer than mesophallus, more heavily sclerotized on ventral and basal walls, with complete ventral suture interspaced by thin plate, narrowed at base (more pronounced when seen laterally), and with pale, haired inner-ventral processes. Ejaculatory apodeme with pileus ejaculatorius broadly rouned and darker at ends; venter of bulb and basal section of duct lightly pigmented; stem long and dark, and blade small and subtriangular with distomedial margin dark.

Hosts. Asteraceae — Hymenoxys hoopesii [formerly considered Helenium ].

Range. USA. California [Mono].

Type material. Holotype, USA. California: Mono Co., Summit Sonora Pass , 28.viii.1948, ex. mines on Helenium hoopesii, Lot 113-1, K.E. Frick (1♂, CASC) ; Paratypes examined, USA. California: Mono Co., Summit Sonora Pass , 28.viii.1948, ex. larva Helianum hoopesii Gray, Lot No. 113-1, K.E. Frick (3♂ 1♀, CASC) .

Comments. Liriomyza helenii is relatively variable in external colouration and should only be considered reliably identified after the male terminalia have been examined—the surstylus has two subapical spines, the ejaculatory apodeme has a long, narrow stalk and a reduced triangular blade, a small cup-like distiphallus basally compressed in lateral view and an apically (not ventrally) directed paraphallus.

Figures

FIGURES 116–119. Liriomyza helenii Spencer, male genitalia; 116: ejaculatory apodeme; 117: external components, ventral; 118: phallus, left lateral; 119: phallus, ventral.