TAXONOMY OF ACIURINA-TRIXA CURRAN (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE) AND ITS LIFE-HISTORY ON CHRYSOTHAMNUS-NAUSEOSUS (PALLAS) BRITTON IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - WITH NOTES ON ACIURINA-BIGELOVIAE (COCKERELL)

Aciurina trixa Curran is reinstated as a valid taxon and distinguished from A. bigeloviae (Cockerell) with which it had been synonymized. Th e immature stages of A. trixa also are described in detail. This tephr itid is univoltine and monophagous on Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Pallas) Britton. Adults emerge in early spring and lay eggs singly in axillar y buds on the current season's branches. First instars eclose in ca. 1 week and tunnel basipetally along a vascular trace into a branch. Gal l growth begins during the first larval stadium and continues through the spring and summer. Gall growth was complete by late fall when most branch tunnels and galls contain second instars. Second instars conti nue to feed in the branch tunnels and begin excavating the gall lumen. Larval growth proceeds through the fall, and by December most galls c ontain third instars. Third instars confined most of their feeding to the gall, typically filling the branch tunnel with packed frass. Pupar ia were first observed in mid-February. Pupariation took place within the gall lumen and lasted ca. 2 weeks. Adult females were proovigenic and mated shortly after emergence and repeatedly.