Description of a new species to Machaeriobia Rübsaamen, 1915 (Cecidomyiidae; Diptera) gall-inducing on Machaerium lunatum (L.) Ducke (Fabaceae)

ABSTRACT

A new species, Macheriobia muriniensis Melo, Cunha & Santos sp. nov. (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), is described here, inducing globoid galls on leaves of Machaerium lunatum in a Floodplain Forest along the banks of the Paricatuba River, Benevides, Pará, Brazil. Illustrations of the larvae, pupae, and adults (male and female), as a diagnosis for the species are provided. Specimens of Eurytomidae and Eulophidae were found associated with this gall midge.http://zoobank.org/urna:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FEB646A4-49DE-4A9C-ADD3-D809DFBE563A

KEYWORDS:

• Amazon region
• várzea
• taxonomy
• galling insect
• submerged galls

Acknowledgments

We express special thanks to Dr. Valéria Cid Maia (National Museum of Rio de Janeiro/UFRJ) for her assistance in determining the new species of Cecidomyiidae. Dr. Marlucia Bonifácio Martins, coordinator of the Laboratory of Invertebrate Ecology (Zoology Department, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi), for providing the laboratory infrastructure and supporting the qualification of the members of galls and gallers study group. We also thank Dr. Anna Luiza Ilkiu B. Benkendorff (Botany Coordination/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi) and Dr. Fernanda Ilkiu Borges de Souza (Xylotheque/Embrapa Amazônia Oriental) us access to the photomicroscopes in their respective institutions. We express gratitude to Dr. Josiane Santana Monteiro (Instituto Tecnológico Vale/ITV) for the support in the use of optical equipment. Furthermore, we thank the reviewers for their valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).