Liriomyza ptarmicae de Meijere

Liriomyza ptarmicae de Meijere

Figs 189–193

Liriomyza ptarmicae de Meijere 1925: 286–291. Spencer 1976: 263, 1981: 258; Spencer & Steyskal 1986: 121.

Liriomyza millefolii Hering 1927: 185. Syn. Spencer (1976).

Liriomyza aesalon Hering 1936: 74. Syn. Spencer (1971).

Liriomyza chrysanthemi Hering 1956: 116. Syn. Spencer (1976).

Liriomyza pilosa Spencer 1969: 182. Syn. Spencer (1981).

Wing length 1.7–1.8mm (♂); reportedly as small as 1.5mm (Spencer, 1981). Females not examined. Length of ultimate section of vein CuA 1 divided by penultimate section: 2.9; vein dm-cu absent in WN and OR material. Eye height divided by gena height: 4.4. Scutum shining. First flagellomere sometimes relatively large and ovate with long marginal hairs (some USA and most Canadian specimens)

Chaetotaxy: Two ori with anterior bristle minute to absent, two ors. Acrostichal setulae in four rows.

Colouration: Calypter margin and hairs brown. First flagellomere sometimes brownish to deep yellow with basal margin yellow, but often entirely yellow (including all Canadian specimens); posterolateral corner of frons narrowly brown, not reaching base of outer vertical bristle; clypeus, back of head and ocellar triangle brown. Scutum with yellow lateral stripe interrupted posteriorly; katatergite yellow; anatergite brown below scutellum with remainder of laterotergites variable. Anepisternum brown with dorsal 1/3 and sometimes posterior half yellow; anepimeron with anterior stripe; katepisternum brown (including base of bristle) with dorsomedial margin and sometimes faded vertical anterior stripe yellow; meron brown with dorsum yellow. Legs yellow with base of coxae and femora brown, dorsal mottling on femora faded to extensive, tibiae brown (paler ventrally) with faded to extensive yellow mottling on mid and hind legs, and tarsi brown, becoming paler to base. Abdomen brown with lateral and posterior margins of tergites yellow.

Genitalia: Figs 189–193. Epandrium produced ventrally, ending in broadly rounded point; inner margin of epandrium (or subepandrial sclerite?) differentiated into plate with one or two terminal spines. Surstylus thin along length and with short subapical spine. Left and right distal margins of basiphallus with elongate, broad, lightlysclerotized extensions. Swollen apical section of ejaculatory duct broadly rounded basally and narrow with sides slightly converging distally. Paraphallus small and rod-like. Hypophallus well developed with long dorsal hairs on distal half. Length of mesophallus more than twice width, strongly angled dorsally and partially fused to distiphallus. Distiphallus with short basal neck and broad apical section enclosing paired fringed structures. Ejaculatory apodeme with pileus ejaculatorius pale and rounded laterally; stem short with base broad, extending onto duct, which is lightly pigmented basally; blade elongate with distal margin slightly darker.

Hosts. Asteraceae — Achillea, Anthemis, Chrysanthemum, Leucanthemum (Benavent-Corai et al., 2005).

Range. USA. California [Humboldt, Nevada, Santa Cruz], Colorado, Oregon*, Washington. Canada. Alberta. Europe.

Type material. Liriomyza ptarmicae: Lectotype, POLAND or GERMANY. “Aus Achillea ptarmica, Deutschland, Hering leg.” (1♂, ZMHU) [Not examined]. Liriomyza millefolii : Holotype, GERMANY. Bredow near Nauen (1♀, ZMHU). [Not examined]. Liriomyza aesalon : Holotype, POLAND. Krosno-Odrzanskie [=Crossen an der Oder] (1♂, ZMHU) [Not examined]. Liriomyza chrysanthemi : Holotype, GERMANY. Oberlausitz, Buchholz, between Biehain and Horka (1♂, BMNH) [Not examined]. Liriomyza pilosa : Holotype, CANADA. Alberta: Edmonton, Univ. campus, 20.vi.1966, K.A. Spencer, Type No. 16129 (1♂, CNC).

Additional material examined. USA. California: Santa Cruz Co., Felton, 12.vi.1952, E.I. Schlinger (1♂, UCD), Oregon: Mt. Hood, 3000’, 29.vii.1931, A.L. Melander (1♂, USNM), Coos Co., 5mi S Brandon, 29.vi.1972, G. Steyskal (1♂, CSCA), Washington: Mt. Rainier, Glacier Stn., 15.viii.1917, A.L. Melander (1♂, USNM).

Comments. Although the terminalia are reminiscent of Liriomyza projecta (see comments for L. projecta), the phallus is much more similar to that of L. lima (Melander), L. minor and L. togata, in that the mesophallus is strongly angled dorsally and the distolateral margins of the basiphallus are strongly produced, although in the latter three taxa the mesophallus is darker, separate from the distiphallus and sometimes with an additional pair of ventromedial plates.

The male adult of Liriomyza ptarmicae in ZMHU is labeled as the “ lectotype ” (J. Ziegler, pers. comm.), and is treated as such here.