Discovery of a new gall-inducing species, Aciurinaluminaria (Insecta, Diptera, Tephritidae) via multi-trait integrative taxonomy

• Published in: ZooKeys Vol. 1214; pp. 217 - 236
• Main Authors: Baine, Quinlyn, White, Branden, Martinson, Vincent G, Martinson, Ellen O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2024
• Subjects: Americas; Arizona and New Mexico; General Ecology; Molecular Systematics; Nevada and Utah and Colorado; North America; Taxonomy; Tephritidae; USA and Canada; Western USA and Western Canada; nauseosa; Bigeloviae; Ericameria; candle; marshmallow; ddRAD; flame; rabbitbrush; trixa; wing; tephritid
• ISSN: 1313-2989; 1313-2970
• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1214.130171

Integrative taxonomic practices that combine multiple lines of evidence for species delimitation greatly improve our understanding of intra- and inter-species variation and biodiversity. However, extended phenotypes remain underutilized despite their potential as a species-specific set of extracorporeal morphological and life history traits. Primarily relying on variations in wing patterns has caused taxonomic confusion in the genus , which are gall-inducing flies on Asteraceae plants in western North America. However, species display distinct gall morphologies that can be crucial for species identification. Here we investigate a unique gall morphotype in New Mexico and Colorado that was previously described as a variant of that induced by (Cockerell, 1890). Our analysis has discovered several consistent features that distinguish it from galls of . A comprehensive description of Baine, and its gall is provided through integrative taxonomic study of gall morphology, host plant ecology, wing morphometrics, and reduced-representation genome sequencing.