A new genus and species of gall midge (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae) damaging flowers of the South Australian swamp paper-bark, Melaleuca halmaturorum (Myrtaceae)
P. Kolesik, A new genus and species of gall midge (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae) damaging flowers of the South Australian swamp paper-bark, Melaleuca halmaturorum (Myrtaceae), T ROY SOC S, 123, 1999, pp. 31-36
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary
Journal title
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
A new species of gall midge, Austrolopesia melaleucae, is described from fl
ower galls on Melaleuca halmaturonum F. Muell. ex Mig., a salt tolerant tre
e growing in temporal swamps and saline areas of southeastern Australia. No
seeds are produced in infested flowers and the infestation can potentially
limit the reproduction of the tree. The larva, pupa, male and female of th
e new species are described and illustrated. The gall midge is the first re
cord of the tribe Lopesiini in Australia and a new genus is erected to cont
ain it. Austrolopesia gen, nov, is compared to other genera of Lopesiini an
d Lophodiplosis Gagne, an Australian genus feeding on Melaleuca. The Austra
lian species Cecidomyia frauenfeldi Schiner, 1868 from branch bud galls on
Melaleuca sp. is newly combined in Dasineura.