Galeopsomyia fausta LaSalle

(Figs 25, 660, 661, 1111)

Galeopsomyia fausta LaSalle in LaSalle & Peña 1997:464–468. Holotype ♀ (primary type no. 5.396 1, NHMUK 013458207), examined. Mexico.

Diagnosis (female). Antenna with constriction between C1 and C2, flagellomeres about as long as wide (Fig. 661); with genal carina; mesoscutellum (Fig. 660) golden-purple, median part with weak reticulation, lateral parts with strong reticulation, meshes elongate, submedian grooves distinct, wide and parallel; dorsellum with median carina; propodeum (Fig. 660) with strong reticulation and irregular carinae, callus with five setae; fore coxa with a sharp carina along base and along posterior margin; petiole transverse and heavily sculptured on dorsal surface; medio-basal Gt 1 with a very strong transverse carina dorsally and with short longitudinal carinae from transverse carina pointing backwards (Figs 25, 1111). The male has scattered setae on flagellomeres (see fig 9 in LaSalle & Peña (1997), i.e. without subbasal whorls of setae.

Description. See LaSalle & Peña (1997).

Distribution. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico (LaSalle & Peña, 1997), Costa Rica (provinces Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, San José) (new records).

Hosts. Reported as an important parasitoid of the citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) (Cobo Nuñez 1996, as Galeopsomyia sp.; LaSalle & Peña 1997). The citrus leafminer is a micromoth introduced to the Americas from Asia, and is a serious pest on citrus trees in the Americas (Heppner 1993). Prior to this publication no indigenous host for G. fausta was known, but here it is recorded from Phyllocnistis sp. on Trichilia havanensis (Meliaceae) and an unidentified microlepidopteran leaf mineer on avocado (Persea americana), both records from Costa Rica.

Cobo Nuñez (1996) and Llácer et al. (2005) studied the life cycle of G. fausta in detail and found that it attacked the larva, prepupa and pupa of its host. It attaches its egg to the inner surface of the leaf mine. The first instar larva kills the host and feeds as a solitary ectoparasitoid

Material examined.

Type material: Holotype ♀ of G. fausta (NHMUK). Non type material (61♀, CNC, MZLU, MZUCR, NHMUK): 2♀ COSTA RICA, Alajuela, Parque Nacional Arenal, 10°28’N, 84°45’W, 617m, 21-28. ii.2005, C. Hansson; 1♀ COSTA RICA, Cartago, Paraíso, P.N. Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte, Torre cerca de Estación, 1200m, LN560050_193800, 9.vii-12.viii.2000, D. Rubí; 1♀ COSTA RICA, Guanacaste, Macizo Miravalles, Estación Cabro Muco, LN 299769_411243, 1100m, 18.iii.2003, J. Azofeifa; 1♀ COSTA RICA, Guanacaste, Estación Maritza, 10°58’N, 85°29’W, 600m, 27.i-2.ii.2001, E. Negro; 7♀ COSTA RICA, Heredia, Santo Domingo, INBio-Parque, 8-29.ii.2000, R. Zuñiga; following from same locality as previous but collected iii.2002 (3♀), 1-12.iv.2002 (6♀), 6.x.2002 (2♀), 11-25.ii.2006 (9♀), 16.ii.2008 (5♀), 14.ii.2009 (2♀), 12.ii.2011 (4♀), 11.ii.2012 (2♀), 16.ii.2013 (2♀), 13.ii.2016 (1♀); 2♀ COSTA RICA, Heredia, Birrí, 1300m, vi.1996 A. Gonzalez, leaf mine on limón; 1♀ from same locality as previous but collected 28.viii.1999 from an unidentified microlep. leaf mine on avocado; 5♀ COSTA RICA, San José, UCR Campus, ii-iii.1999, K. Nishida, Phyllocnistis sp. on Trichilia havanensis; 2♀ with same label data as previous but collected vi.2013; 1♀ from same locality as previous but collected 27.ii.1990; 1♀ COSTA RICA, San José, San Antonio de Escazú, 9º54’N, 84º09’W, 1700m, ix.1996, Eberhard & Hanson; 1♀ COSTA RICA, San José, Zurqui de Moravia, 10º02’58’’N, 84º00’57’’W, 1600m, iv.1994, P. Hanson.