A new species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) associated with Peumus boldus (Monimiaceae) in Chile
Guedes, Lubia MaríaMaia, Valeria CidAguilera, Narciso
Abstract Chile is characterized by high levels of endemism among its flora and fauna, yet its diverse gall-inducing organisms remain poorly studied. We describe Dasineura peumi sp. nov., a new gall-inducing midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) associated with Peumus boldus Molina (Monimiaceae), an economically significant medicinal plant native to Chile's sclerophyllous forests. This species induces solitary or clustered fusiform galls on the stems, each housing a single larva. Morphological and phenological analyses were conducted on samples collected in the Bíobío Region of Chile in 2021 and 2022. Morphological studies revealed key diagnostic traits: antennae with 18 flagellomeres in both sexes, tarsal claws with a prominent basal tooth, as long as the empodia, and a band-like male tergite 8. The ovipositor measures 1.0-1.10 mm, approximately four times the length of the seventh tergite. Pupae are characterized by long vertical setae, very short antennal horns, a complete arrangement of facial papillae, digitiform prothoracic spiracles, and spines absent from the abdomen. Larvae possess a long spatula with two anterior teeth and an anchor-like base, a complete arrangement of lateral papillae, and eight short, uniform terminal papillae. This species has a multivoltine life cycle, with development independent of the host plant's phenology.
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