Paracantha trinotata (Foote) Norrbom & Sutton & Steck & Monzón, 2010

Norrbom, Allen L., Sutton, Bruce D., Steck, Gary J. & Monzón, José, 2010, New genera, species and host plant records of Nearctic and Neotropical Tephritidae (Diptera) 2398, Zootaxa 2398, pp. 1-65 : 33

Paracantha trinotata (Foote) , new combination

Figs. 53, 63–64, 102

Laksyetsa trinotata Foote 1978: 29 .

Biology. The only previously reported host plant is Dahlia tenuicaulis Sorenson ( Foote 1978) . We also reared it from D. imperialis Roezl ( Asteraceae : Coreopsideae ) ( Fig. 65) in Mexico and Guatemala. The larvae feed and pupate in the capitulum ( Fig. 63–64).

Distribution. Mexico (Durango, Morelos, Oaxaca) and Guatemala. Previously known only from mountainous areas in Mexico, including the Sierra Madre Occidental (Durango), the transverse volcanic belt (Morelos), and the Sierra Madre del Sur (Oaxaca), P. trinotata also occurs in highland areas of Guatemala (Jalapa, Sacatepéquez, Totonicapán).

Material examined. GUATEMALA: Jalapa: Jalapa - Mataquescuintla Road , 14.57766°N 90.09416°W, 2210 m, emerged 17 Dec 2007 reared ex flowerheads of Dahlia imperialis collected 21 Nov 2007, B.D. Sutton, G.J. Steck, A.L. Norrbom, J. Monzón, 1♂ ( FSCA) , 2♂ ( USNM USNMENT00671280–81 ) . Sacatepéquez: Cerro Carmona, Finca El Pilar , lower road, 14.54031°N 90.7066°W, 2265 m, emerged 9 Dec 2008 reared ex flowerheads of Dahlia imperialis (07G05A) collected 12 Nov 2007, B.D. Sutton, A.L. Norrbom, J. Monzón, 1♀ ( FSCA) , 1♂ 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT00671278–79 ) . Totonicapán: Hwy. CA-1 8.5 km (air) N Pologuá , 15.11712°N 91.52301°W, 2434 m, emerged 14–21 Dec 2007 reared ex flowerheads of Dahlia imperialis collected 23 Nov 2007, B.D. Sutton, G.J. Steck, A.L. Norrbom, J. Monzón, 2♂ 2♀ ( FSCA) , 4♂ 3♀ ( USNM USNMENT00671304-11 ) ; Hwy. CA-1, km 209, 2 km NNE of Pologuá (air), 15.05858°N 91.49648°W, 2761 m, emerged 12–20 Dec 2007 reared ex flowerheads of Dahlia imperialis (07G57) collected 23 Nov 2007, B.D. Sutton, G.J. Steck, A.L. Norrbom, J. Monzón, 7♂ 3♀ ( FSCA) , 1♂ 1♀ ( UVG) , 9♂ 10♀ ( USNM USNMENT00671282–300 ) . MEXICO: Morelos: Lagunas de Zempoala , 2805 m, 11 Aug 1962, G. L. Bush, 1♀ ( MSUL) ; Lagunas de Zempoala [19°2'58"N 99°19'3"W], on Dahlia imperialis , 9–11 Aug 1989, A. L. Norrbom, 2♀ ( IEXV USNMENT00104379–80 ) , 1♂ 4♀ ( USNM USNMENT00104374–78 ) ; Lagunas de Zempoala , reared ex capitulum of Dahlia imperialis (91M16), 23–25 Sep 1991, A. L. Norrbom, 2♂ 2♀ ( IEXV USNMENT00213345–48 ) , 8♂ 10♀ ( USNM USNMENT00213349–66 ) , 5♂ 5♀ ( BMNH, CDFA, MHNG, TAMU, TAUI) .