Raymond J. Gagné

A New Species of Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Infesting Switchgrass in the Northern Great Plains

A new species of gall midge, Chilophaga virgati Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), collected from tillers of switchgrass at Brookings, South Dakota (44.31134° N, 96.78374° W) is described here. Plant morphological symptoms of infestation and frequency of tillers infested are also provided. Full-grown larvae of C. virgati were found inside the sheath of the flag leaf of reproductive tillers of clonally replicated spaced plants of a selected southern upland population of switchgrass during October 2008 and 2009. Infested tillers were shorter and lighter than normal tillers and had panicles that were partially encased in the sheath of the flag leaf due to reduced elongation of the peduncle as a result of the feeding of larvae of C. virgati at the proximal end of the panicle and in the intercalary meristem area of the peduncle. Variation was found among 10 genotypes for percentage of tillers infested by C. virgati, with a range from 7.2% to 21.8%. No difference was found between years for infestation rate (12.7% in 2008 and 14.3% in 2009). The mass of infested tillers was 35% that of normal tillers, and infested tillers produced no appreciable amount of viable seeds. Results of this research revealed that C. virgati had direct negative impacts on biomass and seed production in spaced plant nurseries of switchgrass. C. virgati was also observed in seeded swards of northern upland switchgrass cultivars, but its impact in seeded swards has not yet been determined.

Contarinia maculipennis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a polyphagous pest newly reported for North America

A gall midge recently found on Dendrobium orchids in Florida, USA, is identified as Contarinia maculipennis Felt. The identification is based on anatomical similarity to a polyphagous species originally described from Hawaii but which now appears to be from south-east Asia. Contarinia maculipennis is redescribed and compared to Contarinia solani (Rubsaamen) and C. lycopersici Felt, two species with which it has been confused in the literature.

The pupa and larva of Asphondylia gennadii (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and taxonomic implications

Pupae and larvae from various recorded hosts of the cecidomyiid Asphondylia gennadii (Marchal), a pest of carob on Cyprus, are found to be anatomically similar. These are redescribed and illustrated. The species appears to be a Palaearctic generalist species analogous to the Nearctic Asphondylia websteri Felt. Asphondylia capsici Barnes ( Syn. n. ) is considered a new junior synonym of A. gennadii . An unnamed soybean pod gall midge in Japan appears also to be identical to A. gennadii .

Biology and Characterization of Prodiplosis Longifila (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on Lime in Florida

Prodiplosis longifila Gagne (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a polyphagous, Neotropical species with a known range that extends into southern Florida. This gall midge feeds on the flower ovaries of lime and can cause premature flower abscission. Details of its biology on lime are given, the life stages illustrated, and the three larval instars described in detail.

Description of the larva of Lophodiplosis trifida, an Australian gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and biocontrol agent of paperbark in Florida, USA.

ABSTRACT Lophodiplosis trifida Gagné, an Australian gall midge on paperbark, Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae), is a recent release in southern Florida for the biological control of that host. The larval stage is described for the first time and compared to that of other Lophodiplosis species. Photos of galls and illustrations of larvae are provided. Second and third instars of L. trifida are unusual among Cecidomyiidae for the lack of setae on most papillae.

A New Lestodiplosine (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Preying on the Avocado Lace Bug, Pseudacysta perseae (Heteroptera: Tingidae) in Southern Florida

Abstract A species new to science, Tingidoletes praelonga Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), was recently discovered preying on the avocado lace bug, Pseudacysta perseae (Heidemann) (Heteroptera: Tingidae), in Florida, USA. A new genus is described to receive the new species.

TWO SPECIES OF CECIDOMYIIDAE PREDACIOUS ON CITRUS RUST MITE, PHYLLOCOPTRUTA OLEIVORA, ON FLORIDA CITRUS

Abstract Larvae of two undescribed species of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) were found preying upon Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Florida citrus. Identifications to genus were made from adults reared in the laboratory. The two species had distinctive larval coloration. One larval type was completely yellow and was identified as Feltiella n. sp., while the second larval type had an orange color with a transverse white band close to the mouthparts. The latter cecidomyiid was identified as belonging to a genus near Lestodiplosis in the broad sense. Feltiella n. sp. (n = 17) and the species near the genus Lestodiplosis (n = 12) consumed 33.8 ± 4.6 (mean ± SEM) and 43.0 ± 6.4 citrus rust mite eggs; 14.2 ± 1.4 and 15.0 ± 2.0 citrus rust mite nymphs, and 3.0 ± 0.4 and 5.6 ± 0.9 citrus rust mite adults/10 min., respectively. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the consumption rates of either predator on any rust mite life stage. These data indicate that Feltiella n. sp. and the species near the genus Lestodiplosis are both efficient predators of P. oleivora eggs, larvae, and nymphs.

A New Species of Gall Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Subterranean Stem Galls of Licania michauxii (Chrysobalanaceae) in Florida

A new species of gall midge is described from subterranean stem galls on Licania michauxii Prance from Florida. The gall former is a new species of Lopesia and the first record of this genus in North America. The limits of Lopesia, a genus previously recorded only from South America and Africa, are enlarged to accept the new species. The species is described and illustrated. The pupa of this species is unique in Cecidomyiidae for its large, robust, dorsal abdominal spines that may be used in pushing through sandy soil after leaving the gall.

A New Species of Chilophaga on Aristida (Gramineae) in Florida (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

The new species Chilophaga gyrantis Gagne is described, illustrated, and compared to adults of other species of Chilophaga. It forms broom-shaped stem galls on Aristida gyrans (Chapman) in Florida.

Revision of early taxa of Australian gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Australian Cecidomyiidae described by Schiner (1868), Skuse (1888, 1890), Koebele (1893), Felt (1915), Edwards (1916) and Rübsaamen (1916), totalling 111 species and three subgenera, are revised. Chastomera Skuse, 1888 is confirmed to be a junior synonym of Haplusia Karsch, 1878 and Gonioclema Skuse, 1888 and Necrophlebia Skuse, 1888 are declared nomina dubia. Twenty-two species are placed to genus, an additional four species are placed to supertribe or subfamily, all of them redescribed. The remaining species are declared junior synonyms or nomina dubia. Diadiplosis koebelei (Koebele, 1893) is a new junior synonym of Diadiplosis plumbea (Skuse, 1888). Dasineura tomentosa Dorchin, 2011 is a new junior synonym of Dasineura frauenfeldi (Schiner, 1868). Sphenolasioptera Kolesik & Gagné gen. nov. (Cecidomyiinae: Lasiopterini) is erected to contain Sphenolasioptera vastatrix (Skuse, 1888) n. comb. The following genera are recorded from Australia for the first time: Ledomyia Kieffer (Cecidomyiinae: Ledomyiini), represented by L. vitulans (Skuse), n. comb.; Bremia Rondani (Cecidomyiinae: Aphidoletini), represented by B. actiosa (Skuse) n. comb. and B. oreas (Skuse) n. comb.; Divellepidosis Fedotova & Sidorenko (Porricondylinae: Porricondylini), represented by D. pallidina (Skuse) n. comb. and D. indubitata (Skuse) n. comb. Additions are made to the key to genera of Cecidomyiinae of Australia and Papua New Guinea (Kolesik 2014) to accomodate Bremia, Ledomyia and Sphenolasioptera.