Peter Kolesik

Nine new species of Dasineura (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from flowers of Australian Acacia (Mimosaceae)

Abstract.  Thirteen species of Australian acacias are invasive plants in agricultural and native vegetation areas of South Africa. Biological control programmes for Australian acacias in South Africa have been implemented and are aimed at suppressing reproductive vigour and, in some cases, vegetative growth of these weeds. Gall‐forming midges are under consideration as potential biological control agents for invasive acacias in South Africa. Entomological surveys in southern Australia found a diverse cecidomyiid fauna associated with the buds, flowers and fruits of Acacia species. Nine new Dasineura species are described and two species, D. acaciaelongifoliae (Skuse) and D. dielsi Rübsaamen, are redescribed. The newly described taxa are D. fistulosasp.n., D. furcatasp.n., D. glaucasp.n., D. glomeratasp.n., D. oldfieldiisp.n., D. oshanesiisp.n., D. piliferasp.n., D. rubiformissp.n. and D. sulcatasp.n. All eleven species induce galls on ovaries and prevent the formation of fruit. Two general types of gall are caused. Type A comprises woody, tubular galls with larvae living inside ovaries (D. acaciaelongifoliae, D. dielsi, D. fistulosa, D. furcata, D. glauca, D. glomerata, D. oldfieldii). Type B includes soft‐tissued, globose galls that belong to four subtypes: inflated, baglike, hairy galls with larvae living between ovaries (D. pilifera); pyriform, pubescent swellings with larvae living inside ovaries (D. rubiformis); globose, hairy, swellings with larvae living superficially on ovaries in ovoid chambers (D. oshanesii); and inconspicuous, glabrous swellings with larvae living superficially on ovaries in shallow groovelike chambers (D. sulcata). The gall types are associated with a particular pupation pattern. In type A galls, larvae pupate within larval chambers in galls, whereas in type B galls pupation takes place between ovaries in galls or in the soil beneath the host tree. Gall midges responsible for the same general gall type are morphologically related and differ from species causing the other gall type. Phylogenetic analysis of a 410 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene supports the division of the gall midge species into two groups except for D. sulcata, which appears as a subgroup of the group causing type A galls. The interspecific divergence values in group A species were between 0.5 and 3.9% with intraspecific divergence estimates of 0–0.2%. Gall midges causing type B galls had interspecific divergence values of 4.6–7.3% and intraspecific divergence values of 0–3.7%. Closely related biology and morphology together with low cytochrome b divergence estimates suggest a more recent speciation in group A when compared with species of group B. Dasineura rubiformis and D. dielsi are proposed as potential biological control agents for Acacia mearnsii De Wild. and Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don, respectively, in South Africa due to their narrow host range and ability to form high population densities that reduce seed formation. Both species produce galls with low biomass, which makes them compatible with commercial exploitation of their host species in Africa.

Six new species of Asphondylia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) damaging flower buds and fruit of Australian Acacia (Mimosaceae)

Six species of gall midge are described from Australian acacias. Asphondylia bursicola Kolesik sp.n. and A. occidentalis Kolesik sp.n. form galls on fruit; A. germinis Kolesik sp.n., A. pilogerminis Kolesik sp.n. and A. glabrigerminis Kolesik sp.n. induce severe deformation of flower buds; and A. acaciae Kolesik sp.n. causes galls on both fruit and flower buds. Galled flower buds do not produce flowers, and galled fruit produce no or undeveloped seeds. Host ranges of the new species comprise between two and eight acacia hosts. Larval, pupal and male morphology, together with phylogenetic analyses of a 410‐bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, were used to characterize the new species. For A. bursicola, A. germinis, A. pilogerminis, A. glabrigerminis and A. acaciae, the intraspecific divergence values were between 0.2 and 3.4%, and the interspecific divergence values ranged between 5.1 and 10.5%. For A. occidentalis, the only species with geographical distribution confined solely to Western Australia, the intraspecific divergence was between 6.6 and 10.3%, and the interspecific difference from the other five new species was between 9.3 and 13.9%. In contrast to Dasineura spp. from Acacia, for which the morphology was more informative in species recognition than the cytochrome b sequence, in Asphondylia spp. treated here the partial cytochrome b sequence data provided better species recognition than did the morphology. Several of the new Asphondylia have potential as biological control agents in ecosystems in which Australian acacias are invasive and their sexual reproduction needs to be restricted. A list of Australian acacias whose reproductive organs are destroyed by known gall midges, all belonging to Dasineura and Asphondylia, is provided.

A review of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiinae) of Australia and Papua New Guinea: morphology, biology, classification and key to adults.

The subfamily Cecidomyiinae are dipteran midges whose larvae feed on plants, insects, arachnids or fungi. Most Cecidomyiinae are plant feeding with the majority inducing infestation symptom called a gall. A gall is a malformation, often spectacular in form and colour, that is formed instead of or on the attacked plant tissue. In the strict sense Cecidomyiinae are the true gall midges although the vernacular term is used commonly for the whole Cecidomyiidae family. Cecidomyiinae contain a variety of species of economic importance. Many gall midges are pests of plant crops while others are used as biological control agents of weeds, insects or mites. This paper provides a guide to taxa occurring in Australia and Papua New Guinea. An overview of morphology of larvae, pupae and adults is given. Typical life cycles are exemplified. Listed are species that are pests in forestry, horticulture and agriculture as well as species that are beneficial as plant pest predators. Furthermore, listed are native species that are in use overseas against weeds and insect pests of Australian origin and non‐indigenous species that were introduced into Australia to control alien weeds. A key to adults of genera occurring in Australia and Papua New Guinea is provided. Included are taxa that are native as well as those that have been introduced unintentionally as plant pests or intentionally as biological control agents of weeds. Taxonomic classification of genera and references to species are given. Cecidomyia omalanthi Skuse, 1890 is renamed Okriomyia omalanthi (Skuse, 1890) comb. nov. Resseliella oleisuga (Targioni‐Tozzetti, 1887) feeding on the bark of introduced olive Olea europaea is reported from Australia for the first time.

A new genus of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) inducing leaf galls on Rubus (Rosaceae)

An undescribed species of gall midge causing hairy spheroidal leaf galls on Rubus nebulosus and Rubus moorei (Rosaceae) in subtropical Australia was investigated in a study on the dynamics of parasitoids of gall‐inducing insects. Here, the gall midge is described and named Psephodiplosis rubi Kolesik, sp. nov. in a new genus Psephodiplosis Kolesik, gen. nov. (supertribe Cecidomyiidi) erected to contain it. The new species is the first described gall midge that induces galls on Rosaceae in Australia. Similar galls have been found previously on Rubus moluccanus in Indonesia and on Rubus alceifolius in Thailand, so it is possible that the geographical range of Psephodiplosis rubi includes not only Australia, but also countries of South East Asia.

Plasmid Maintenance and Localisation of Vibrio sp. S141(p519ngfp) Cells within Monoculture and Mixed-species Biofilms

This study examined cell localisation and plasmid maintenance of Vibrio sp. S141(p519ngfp) cells which grew in, and detached from, monoculture and mixed-species marine biofilms under continuous flow conditions. Over the 48 h time course of the experiments, the broad host range IncQ RSF1010 derivative plasmid, p519 ngfp , was maintained in S141(p519ngfp) cells detaching from the biofilms irrespective of selection for the plasmid, the presence of another bacterial species, or the order of substratum colonisation. S141(p519ngfp) cell localisation within mixed-species biofilms was affected by the order, and length of time, of colonisation. When S141(p519ngfp) was the initial coloniser of the biofilm, the localisation of the majority of the plasmid-bearing cells near the substratum surface was not affected. When S141(p519ngfp) cells colonised a pre-existing Psychrobacter sp. SW5HR biofilm, or the two species simultaneously colonised the substratum, non plasmid-bearing cells initially dominated the substratum surface; as the time of S141(p519ngfp) colonisation increased, the plasmid-bearing cells appeared to displace the SW5HR cells from the surface. Since the p519ngfp plasmid was stably maintained in the Vibrio sp. S141 host forming biofilms over a 48 h period, GFP-producing S141 cells were able to be localised in mixed-species biofilms and were found to dominate the substratum surface by 48 h.

Comparison of microcolony formation between Vibrio sp. strain S141 and a flagellum‐negative mutant developing on agar and glass substrata

A flagellum‐negative mutant, M8.2, of the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. S141 was produced by transposon mutagenesis. Time‐lapse video imaging of surface colonisation behaviour and microcolony formation of S141 compared to M8.2 cells was carried out to investigate the role of the flagellum of Vibrio sp. S141 in microcolony formation on agar and glass substrata. On an agar surface, S141 cells formed a tetrad pattern after the first two cell divisions, during initial surface colonisation. Developed microcolonies consisted of tight circular arrangements of cells with infrequent branching of cells from the main body. In contrast, M8.2 cells did not form tetrad patterns and micro‐colonies generally showed enhanced branching and did not develop circular arrangements of cells. On a glass surface under flow conditions, S141 cells displayed several types of movement behaviours at the surface which may have assisted microcolony formation. M8.2 cells appeared unable to develop micro‐colonies, but rather displayed a behaviour which enabled them to spread out across the substratum. Laser scanning confocal microscopy revealed S141 mature biofilms consisted of characteristic towers of bacterial growth with scattered troughs. The flagellum‐negative M8.2 biofilm did not form such architecture, displaying a homogeneous distribution of cells throughout the biofilm and across the entire substratum. Although not required for attachment to the glass substratum, the flagellum was required for alignment as well as specific movement behaviours by S141 cells.

New gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Papua New Guinea.

Two new species of gall midges that feed on trees in Papua New Guinea are described. The larvae of Schizomyia novoguineensis Kolesik sp. nov. transform the flowers of Macaranga aleuritoides (Euphorbiaceae) into spherical galls preventing sexual reproduction of the host tree. The larvae of Rhopalomyia psychotriae Kolesik sp. nov. induce pustulate leaf galls on Psychotria ramuensis (Rubiaceae). Descriptions of adults and immature stages, and DNA sequences of the cytochrome oxidase unit I mitochondrial gene segment, are given for each of the new species.

A new species of Procontarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) damaging fruit of mango, Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), in China

Larvae of a previously unknown species of gall midge were found feeding on young fruit of mango, Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), in Guangxi Autonomous Region in southern China, causing severe damage to the crop. The new species is named Procontarinia fructiculi Jiao, Wang, Bu Kolesik, its morphology is described, the basic biology is given, and the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene segment is sequenced and compared to other congeners. Procontarinia contains now 16 described species, each feeding on mango. All but three species cause variously shaped galls on leaves, while P. mangiferae (Felt) malforms inflorescence and young leaves, and two species feed on fruit - P. frugivora Gagné causing deep lesions and P. fructiculi sp. nov. tunnel-like holes. Of the two fruit-feeding species, P. frugivora is confined to the Philippines while the new species has thus far been recorded only from southern China.

A new species of Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) damaging inflorescence of Carya cathayensis (Juglandaceae) in China

Chinese hickory, Carya cathayensis Sargent (Juglandaceae), is a tree naturally occurring and industrially grown in China for the nuts that are valued for their taste and nutrient content. Larvae of a previously unknown species of gall midge were found feeding on male and female inflorescences of Carya cathayensis in Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces in eastern China, reducing pollination and fruit development, and causing substantial damage to the nut industry. The new species is named Contarinia caryafloralis Jiao, Bu Kolesik, its morphology is described, the basic biology is given, and the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene segment is sequenced. Contarinia caryafloralis is the first gall midge known to feed on a Carya species native to Asia.

A new species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) feeding on Solanum in Australia

ABSTRACT Solanum inaequilaterum is a perennial shrub, endemic to the evergreen subtropical rainforest of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia. An undescribed species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) was found to cause numerous round hairy galls on leaves, leaf stalks and stems. The new species is described and named Dasineura inaequilaterae Kolesik sp. nov. It is the first Dasineura known to feed on a host plant from the family Solanaceae worldwide.