Liriomyza blechi Spencer

Carvalho-Filho, Fernando Da Silva, Almeida, Flávio Roberto De Albuquerque & Esposito, Maria Cristina, 2016, Description of a nomen nudum species of Liriomyza Mik and the first record of Liriomyza blechi Spencer from Brazil (Insecta: Diptera: Agromyzidae), Zootaxa 4088 (3), pp. 445-450 : 450

Liriomyza blechi Spencer

( Figs. 14–19 )

Liriomyza blechi Spencer 1973: 98 (in Spencer & Stegmaier, 1973). Spencer, 1990: 215–216, figs. 797–799. Spencer, Martinez & Etienne, 1992: 276–278, fig. 38. Martinez & Étienne, 2002: 34. Étienne & Martinez, 2003: 477.

Biology and host plant in the Brazilian Amazon. The mines of Liriomyza blechi in leaves of Blechum pyramidatum (Acanthaceae) ( Fig. 18 ) are similar to those previously presented by Spencer & Stegmaier (1973) and Spencer et al. (1992). In addition, this species produces a light green linear mine in the distal portion of leaves of Spigelia anthelmia (Loganiaceae) ( Fig. 19 ) that posteriorly becomes brown after the larva exits the mine.

Distribution. Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic, Martinique, U.S.A (Florida, Texas), Brazil (Pará).

Material examined. BRAZIL, Pará, 4 males, 3 females, and 5 undetermined, Belém, house garden, 01°25.51′03ʺS 48°27.11′64ʺW, ex. Blechum pyramidatum , 20.I.2006, F.S. Carvalho-Filho [coll.]; 1 male with same data, except 20.III.2014, ex. Spigelia anthelmia . All deposited in MPEG.

Remarks. This is the first record of this species in mainland South America. The specimens analyzed fit the description and illustrations provided by Spencer & Stegmaier (1973). This species shares with Liriomyza marginalis (Malloch) and Liriomyza sorosis (Williston) a surstylus with a sclerotized bar ( Figs. 16, 17 ). However, Liriomyza blechi differs from L. sorosis in having cercus with one long apical seta ( Figs. 16, 17 ) (six in L. sorosis ), and from L. marginalis in the shape of the distiphallus. In addition, L. marginalis is associated with grasses ( Paspalum : Poaceae ) and L. blechi with species of Loganiaceae and Acanthaceae (Spencer & Stegmaier 1973, Spencer et al. 1992). Liriomyza sorosis is associated with both grasses and dicots (Stegmaier 1967).

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 19. Liriomyza blechi Spencer. 14. Head and thorax, dorsal view. Scale bar = 500 µm; 15. Habitus, lateral view. Scale bar = 500 µm; 16. Male genitalia, lateral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. 17; Male genitalia, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm; 18. Leaf mine in mature leaf of Blechum pyramidatum, upper surface. Scale bar = 2 mm; 19. Leaf mine in mature leaf of Spigelia anthelmia, upper surface. Scale bar = 3 mm. Abbreviations: ce = cercus, ep = epandrium, st = surstylus.