Neolasioptera

Gagné, Raymond J., Kay, Fernando Mc & Heard, Tim A., 2011, A new species of Neolasioptera (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Parkinsonia aculeata (Leguminosae) in Argentina for possible use in biological control in Australia, with a key to Neotropical species of Neolasioptera, Zootaxa 2866, pp. 61-68 : 67-68

Neolasioptera spp. with unknown or previously undescribed larvae

Neolasioptera aeschynomensis (Brèthes) was described from only the female sex reared from Aeschynomene montevidensis Vogel (Leguminosae) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A single slide-mounted female type specimen exists in the MACN, but the mounting medium has cracked with time so that the specimen cannot be viewed critically. Additionally, a previously undescribed slide-mounted larva with similar data accompanies the type. It, too, is in poor condition but the spatula is drawn here ( Fig. 15 ) for the record. Unfortunately, it is distorted on the mount, but can be seen to be cruciate and thus distinct from the non-cruciate spatula of N. aculeatae .

Neolasioptera argentata (Brèthes) is known from syntype adults now in the MACN that were reared from Physalis viscosa L. ( Solanaceae ) in Buenos Aires, Argentina and another series in the USNM that was subsequently reared from an undetermined Physalis in Cordoba Province and compared to the syntypes earlier by RJG. The female of the series from Cordoba Province differs from N. aculeatae in the longer eighth abdominal tergite that is 1.5 times as long as the preceding tergite rather than the same length. The male differs from N. aculeatae in having the seventh tergite fully sclerotized instead of only the posterior half.

Neolasioptera baezi (Brèthes) is known from syntypes, a male and two females, taken from Teucrium inflatum Sw. (Lamiaceae) in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. This series is mounted on a single slide deposited in the MACN. The two females are obscured by the cracked mounting medium and cannot be critically studied. The male terminalia are only partly visible; the silhouette of a gonostylus is drawn here ( Fig. 13 ) to help with future comparative studies. That structure is somewhat longer than is that of N. aculeatae .

Neolasioptera phaseoli Möhn was reared from Phaseolus sp. (Leguminosae) in El Salvador. It is known from only the female and the pupa. Original illustrations show that the pupal antennal bases are angular at their apex and the frons lacks papillae. In Neolasioptera aculeatae , by contrast, the pupal antennal base is broadly rounded and the frons has a distinct pair of setose frontal papillae.

Neolasioptera piriqueta Felt , a species reared from Piriqueta ovata Urb. ( Turneraceae ) in Puerto Rico, is known only from three females and a pupa encasing a barely visible male. All four specimens are mounted on one slide. The proportions of the distinguishing parts of the female postabdomen do not appear to be appreciably different from those of the new species. Neolasioptera piriqueta has, however, many scales on the epimeron, and scales cover the entire seventh abdominal tergite. In contrast, the new species has no scales on the epimeron and anterior half of the seventh tergite.

Neolasioptera urvilleae (Tavares) , reared from Urvillea uniloba Radlk.(Sapindaceae) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is known only from an inadequate original description of the adults and has not been recorded since. The existence of the types is doubtful ( Gagné 1994). Nothing further can be said about this species until it is found again.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 15. N. aculeatae. 9, Male abdomen, sixth segment (inclusive) to end. 10 – 12, Male terminalia: 10, transverse section showing, left to right, cercus, hypoproct, gonostylar lobe, and aedeagus; 11, one gonopod removed (dorsal); 12, gonopod and aedeagus (ventral). 13, Silhouette of gonostylus of N. baezi (dorsal). 14, Larval spatula and associated papillae of N. aculeatae. 15, Larval spatula (distorted) of N. aeschynomensis.