Rhagoletis solanophaga Hernandez-Ortiz & Frias 2000
Creators: name: Rodriguez, Pedro Alexander
name: Norrbom, Allen L.
name: Peñaranda, Guadalupe Caicedo Emilio Arévalo
name: Balseiro, Francisco
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Tephritidae
Rhagoletis
Rhagoletis solanophaga

description: Rhagoletis solanophaga Hernández-Ortiz & Frías
Rhagoletis solanophaga Hernández-Ortiz & Frías 2000: 16
(Holotype ♂ (Instituto de Ecología, Xalapa): Mexico: Veracruz: Xalapa, Jardin Bothnico 1280 m, 17 Oct 1990, R. Pérez, ex larva in fruits of Solanum appendiculatum); Rull et al. 2016: 631.
Distribution. This species has been recorded from Costa Rica and México (Veracruz) (Hernández-Ortiz & Frías 2000, Rull et al. 2016). Additional specimens from Bolivia and Costa Rica are reported here.
Specimens examined. BOLIVIA: La Paz: 28 km. N of Caranavi, Cultura, 15.68075°S 67.49669°W, emerged 30 Nov 2001 reared ex fruit of Lycianthes pseudolycioides (01-Bol-24) collected 14 Apr 2001, A. L. Norrbom & J. Peñaranda, 5♂ 1♀ (USNM, ANCB USNMENT00216972–76, USNMENT00745917). COSTA RICA: Cartago: A. C. A. C. Amistad, Monumento Nacional Guayabo, LN 217400 570000, 1100 m, Jul 1994, G. Fonseca, 1♂ (MNCR INBioCRI001888034). Guanacaste: Liberia, Parque Nac. Guanacaste, Estación Mengo, LN 322740 375198, 1000 m, bosque primario; manual (red, libre), 6–30 Apr 1988, Espinoza, 1♂ (MNCR INBioCRI0004040113); Macizo Miravalles, Estación Cabro Muco, LN 299769 411243, 1100 m, trampa de luz mercurio, 28 Mar–3 Apr 2003, M. A. Zumbado, 1♀ (MNCR INBioCRI0003720583).
Biology. Solanum appendiculatum Dunal and Lycianthes sideroxyloides (Schltdl.) Bitter were previously reported as host plants for Rhagoletis solanophaga (Hernández-Ortiz & Frías 2000, Rull et al. 2016). In Bolivia, this species was reared from fruit of Lycianthes pauciflora (Vahl) Bitter (= Lycianthes pseudolycioides (Chod. & Hassl.) Bitter).
Comments. The Costa Rican and Bolivian specimens examined closely match the original description of R. solanophaga, except the brown lateral spot on the scutellum just reaches the basal scutellar seta, one of the Costa Rican and the Bolivian specimens have more extensive posterior brown markings on the scutum, with narrow vittae on the intra-alar and sometimes the dorsocentral lines extending anteriorly to the dorsocentral seta or almost to the transverse suture, in some Bolivian specimens there is a second narrow connection between the discal and subapical bands, and the Costa Rican specimens have a medial brown area on the mid femur, whereas it is mostly brown in the Bolivian specimens (versus entirely yellow in the type specimens; the hind femur and tibia are brown except basally and apically in all of the specimens).
Key. The following modifications to the key of Hernández-Ortiz & Frías (2000) are provided to include R. antioquiensis:
3(1’) Scutum reddish to orange; cell c mostly hyaline, only narrowly brown basally; subbasal and discal bands completely separated along entire length; hyaline fascia between anterior and posterior apical bands usually extended anteriorly to at least middle of width of cell r 2+3 ..................................................................................... 3A
- Scutum black; cell c brown proximally and distally; subbasal and discal bands usually connected; hyaline fascia between anterior and posterior apical bands usually not extended anteriorly to middle of width of cell r 2+3...........................4
3A Scutellum mostly white, distinctly paler than reddish-yellow scutum; scutum with weak pollinosity (microtrichial) pattern of four stripes; discal and subapical bands broadly joined in cell m 4; subscutellum and mediotergite wholly black............................................................................... R. solanophaga Hernández-Ortiz & Frías
- Scutellum orange, concolorous with scutum; scutum without discernable pollinosity (microtrichial) pattern (Fig. 4); discal and subapical bands separated along entire length (Fig. 5); subscutellum and mediotergite completely yellow-orange without black markings.............................................................. R. antioquiensis Rodriguez & Norrbom
description: Published as part of Rodriguez, Pedro Alexander, Norrbom, Allen L., Peñaranda, Guadalupe Caicedo Emilio Arévalo & Balseiro, Francisco, 2021, New species and host plant records for Neotropical Rhagoletis Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae), pp. 231-244 in Zootaxa 5060 (2) on page 243, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5060.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/5627251