Coexistence of the vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae (Diptera : Agromyzidae), with L-trifolii and L-bryoniae on commercially grown tomato plants

The species composition of Liriomyza leafminers infesting commercially grow n tomato plants was surveyed in two contiguous greenhouses in Muko City, Ky oto Prefecture, from August to December 1999. Full-grown larvae and puparia of Liriomyza were collected weekly from the greenhouses, and reared to adu lt emergence in the laboratory. The male adult flies that emerged were iden tified on the basis of the shape of their genitalia. The results revealed t he occurrence of L. sativae, which has not been recorded in Japan. L. sativ ae coexisted with L. trifolii and L. bryoniae in one tomato greenhouse and with L. bryoniae in the other. Further, the relative abundance of the three species changed throughout the growing season of tomato plants and the pea ks of each species population differed.