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A REVIEW OF THE FRUIT FLY TRIBE PLIOMELAENINI
(DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE : TEPHRITINAE)
IN THE INDO-AUSTRALIAN REGION
D.L. HANCOCK
PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870
Abstract
Five genera and 17 species of Indo-Australian Tephritinae are placed in the tribe Pliomelaenini.
Quadrimelaena gen. n. is described to include Q. quadrimaculata (Agarwal & Kapoor), comb,
n. from India, Q. sonani (Shiraki), comb. n. from Taiwan [type species] and Q. translúcida
(Hering), comb. n. from Sri Lanka [all transferred from Pliomelaena Bezzi].
Introduction
The tribe Pliomelaenini is an Afrotropical and Indo-Australian group of
Tephritinae that breeds in the flowerheads of Acanthaceae such as Asystasia,
Dicliptera, Hypoestes, Justicia and Lepidagathis (Hancock et al. 2003).
Previously known as tribe Platensinini, that name was transferred to the
Dithrycini as a subtribe and redefined by Hancock (2001). All species have 3
pairs of frontal, 2 pairs of orbital and 4 scutellar setae, mostly of uniform
coloration although the upper pair of orbitals are sometimes paler.
Five genera occur in the Indo-Australian region: Elaphromyia Bigot,
Pliomelaena Bezzi, Pseudafreutreta Hering, Quadrimelaena gen. n. and
Sundaresta Hering. The first three also occur in Africa. The 17 Indo-
Australian species are poorly understood, with most known from very few
specimens. Three species occur in Indonesia and two in Papua New Guinea
but the tribe has not yet been recorded from Australia.
One currently included species is excluded from the tribe; others were noted
by Hancock (2001). 4Elaphromyia’ magna Hardy, from Java (Hardy 1988),
has a relatively short wing, bare arista, subshining black spot between eye and
antennal base, dense scale-like setae on the scutum and a densely tomentose
abdomen and does not belong in Elaphromyia. Its taxonomic position is
uncertain but it appears to belong near Afreutreta Bezzi in tribe Eutretini.
Elaphromyia Bigot
This genus is characterised by the elongate, almost parallel-sided wings with
numerous subhyaline or diffusely yellow spots on a brown pattern. Vein Rj
lacks a bare, non-setose dorsal area below the end of vein Sc. Six Indo-
Australian species are known.
Elaphromyia hardyi Wang, from southwestern China (Sichuan), differs from
all other species in having a basomedial longitudinal hyaline band on the
wing. It was illustrated by Wang (1998).
Elaphromyia multisetosa Shiraki, from Taiwan, is distinguished from E.
pterocallaeformis by the palpi, which have numerous stout, black setae on
their ventral margins. It was illustrated by Shiraki (1933).
Elaphromyia pterocallaeformis (Bezzi) is widespread in south and southeast
Asia, including Indonesia (Hering 1941). It lacks a medial longitudinal
hyaline band and the palpi have only a few yellowish setae on their ventral
margins. It was illustrated by Hardy (1974) and Wang (1998). E. incompleta
Shiraki and E. i. punctata Shiraki were placed as synonyms by Wang (1998).
Elaphromyia siva Frey is a small species known only from Sri Lanka.
Elaphromyia transversa Hardy occurs in Papua New Guinea. It resembles E.
pterocallaeformis but the subhyaline spots on the wing are arranged in
transverse rather than longitudinal rows. It was illustrated by Hardy (1988).
Elaphromyia yunnanensis Wang is known from southwestern China
(Sichuan, Yunnan). It differs from E. pterocallaeformis in the larger and more
extensive hyaline wing spots along the anterior and posterior margins and the
shorter oviscape. It was illustrated by Wang (1998).
Pliomelaena Bezzi
Indo-Australian species generally have the head and thoracic setae yellow
with a brownish tint, except for the postvertical, lateral vertical and postocular
setae, which are whitish. The wing has three hyaline spots in cells X\ and r2 +3
forming a more or less distinct ‘V’ (as in all Afrotropical species) and three
hyaline indentations in cell m. Protephritis Shiraki and Indaresta Hering are
synonyms (Hardy 1988). Five species are included.
Pliomelaena callista (Hering) is known from Indonesia and Papua New
Guinea. The wing pattern is a little variable but it has three hyaline
indentations in cell r! and no hyaline spot in cell br before R-M crossvein. It
was illustrated by Hering (1941) and Hardy (1988).
Pliomelaena luzonica Hardy is known only from Luzon in the Philippines. It
is similar to P. callista but has only two hyaline indentations in cell r¡. It was
illustrated by Hardy (1974).
Pliomelaena sauteri (Enderlein) is known from Taiwan and southeast China
(Hainan). It is very similar to P. callista but has the hyaline spot at the base of
the pterostigma well developed, rather than vestigial or absent. It was
illustrated by Enderlein (1911) and Wang (1998).
Pliomelaena udhampurensis Agarwal & Kapoor is known only from
northwestern India (Jammu and Kashmir). It is similar to P. luzonica but has
a hyaline spot in cell br before R-M crossvein and the abdomen is almost
entirely brown to black. The yellowish head and thoracic setae are a darker
brown than in other species. It was illustrated by Agarwal and Kapoor (1988).
Pliomelaena zonogastra (Bezzi) is known from India (including Nicobar
Islands) and southwestern China (Yunnan). It is similar to P. udhampurensis
but the abdomen is largely reddish-yellow, rather than brown to black. It was
illustrated by Wang (1998).
Pseudafreutreta Hering
This largely Afrotropical genus differs from Pliomelaena in the absence of a
row of setae along the sides of the epistome and the darker wings, the hyaline
spots and indentations being small or largely absent. Vein Ri lacks a bare,
non-setose dorsal area below the end of vein Sc (present in Pliomelaena).
Pseudafreutreta nigrifacies (Wang) occurs in southwestern China (Yunnan)
and northern Thailand. It was transferred from Platensina Enderlein by
Hancock (2001) and illustrated by Hancock and McGuire (2002). A male has
been collected on Strobilanthes imbricatus (Acanthaceae) in Thailand
(Hancock and McGuire 2002).
Quadrimelaena gen. n.
Type species Protephritis sonani Shiraki, 1933, by present designation.
Quadrimelaena closely resembles Pliomelaena in most characters, including
the presence of a row of setae along the sides of the epistome, but these setae
are weaker, the wings are narrower and more elongate, there are two hyaline
spots (one anterior and one posterior, rather than one medial) in the outer half
of cell dm beyond the level of the R-M crossvein and four (rather than three)
marginal/submarginal spots or indentations in cell m, the inner, extra
indentation above the apex of vein Cui. The hyaline spots in cells and r2 +3
do not form a ‘V’ and several small posterior spots (absent in Pliomelaena)
are present in cell ri along vein R2+3. It further differs from Asian
Pliomelaena species in the more rounded third antennal segment (rather than
slightly concave dorsally), longer and almost parallel ocellar setae and the
brown rather than yellowish head and thoracic setae, except for the whitish
postvertical, lateral vertical and postocular setae. For a more detailed
description see that of the type species (Shiraki 1933).
Three species are included, all transferred from Pliomelaena. Korneyev
(1999) suggested that Ictericodes cashmerensis (Hendel) might also belong
here but its head and thoracic setae are mostly yellow-brown with the upper
orbitals paler, there is a brown spot between the eye and antennal base, vein
R4 +5 is extensively setose above and below and cell bcu has a longer apical
extension.
Quadrimelaena quadrimaculata (Agarwal & Kapoor), comb. n. is known
only from northwestern India (Himachal Pradesh). It differs from Q. sonani in
the fewer small hyaline discal spots and was illustrated by Agarwal and
Kapoor (1989).
Quadrimelaena sonani (Shiraki), comb. n. occurs in Taiwan. It was originally
placed in Protephritis and illustrated by Shiraki (1933).
Quadrimelaena translúcida (Hering), comb. n. occurs in Sri Lanka. It differs
from the other species in the more extensive hyaline discal areas and lack of a
hyaline apical spot on the wing. It was illustrated by Hering (1942).
Sundaresta Hering
This genus differs from Pliomelaena primarily in the presence of two (rather
than one) distinct marginal hyaline indentations in cell r2+3. The oviscape is
elongate, as long as or longer than the abdomen.
Sundaresta hilaris Hering is known only from Java and Sumba in Indonesia.
It was illustrated by Hardy (1988).
Sundaresta malaisei (Hering) is widespread in India, Burma, southwestern
China (Yunnan), Thailand and Laos. It differs from S. hilaris in the more
numerous small hyaline spots on the wing. It was transferred from Xyphosia
Robineau-Desvoidy and illustrated by Hancock and McGuire (2002). Both
sexes have been collected on Strobilanthes imbricatus (Acanthaceae) in
Thailand (Hancock and McGuire 2002).
References
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