Anastrepha nigrotaenia (Enderlein), 2024

Anastrepha nigrotaenia (Enderlein) , new combination

( Figs. 1–48 View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs View Figs )

Vespomima nigrotaenia Enderlein, 1927: 102 View in CoL (Holotype ♂ ( ZMHU), Argentina: Buenos Aires province); Steyskal 1968: 12 (catalog).

Toxotrypana australis Blanchard, 1960: 34 View in CoL (Lectotype,here designated, ♀ ( MACN), Argentina: Tucumán: Tucumán; Buenos Aires, Corrientes; Santiago del Estero; host plant); Hayward 1960: 30 (host plant); Foote 1967: 48 (catalog); Silveira-Guido and Habeck 1978: 128, 129 ( Uruguay; host plants; biology); White and Elson-Harris 1992: 423 (review); Zucchi and Norrbom 1993: 20 ( Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul); McPheron et al. 1999: 345 (16S rRNA); Norrbom et al. 1999: 228 (catalog); Garcia and Corseuil 2004: 27; Carpintero and Testoni 2013: 280, 282, 285 ( Argentina: Buenos Aires; host plants); Bertolaccini et al. 2017: 195 ( Argentina: Santa Fé); Mengual et al. 2017: 101 (in phylogenetic analysis; Bolivia: Tarija). New synonym.

Toxotrypana nigra Blanchard, 1960: 42 View in CoL (Holotype ♀ ( MACN), Argentina: Entre Ríos: Concordia; Córdoba; host plant); Foote 1967: 48 (catalog); Manero et al. 1991: 15, 20 ( Argentina: Jujuy); Norrbom et al. 1999: 228 (catalog); Bertolaccini et al. 2017: 95 ( Argentina: Santa Fe); Mengual et al. 2017: 102 (in phylogenetic analysis; Bolivia: Cochabamba). New synonym.

Toxotrypana picciola Blanchard, 1960: 40 View in CoL (Holotype ♀ ( MACN), Argentina: Tucumán: Estación Experimental Agricola de Tucumán); Foote 1967: 48 (catalog); Norrbom et al. 1999: 228 (catalog). New synonym.

Toxotrypana proseni Blanchard, 1960: 38 View in CoL (Holotype ♀ ( MACN), Argentina: Buenos Aires: Punta Lara; host plant); Foote 1967: 48 (catalog); Norrbom et al. 1999: 228 (catalog); Manero et al. 1991: 13, 20 ( Argentina: Jujuy). New synonym.

Toxotrypana pseudopicciola Blanchard, 1960: 43 View in CoL (Holotype ♀ ( MACN), Argentina: Córdoba: Córdoba; host plant); Foote 1967: 48 (catalog); Norrbom et al. 1999: 338 (as synonym of Toxotrypana nigra View in CoL ). New synonym.

Anastrepha australis View in CoL : Norrbom et al. 2018: 837 (new combination); Calvo et al. 2019: 1168, 1169, 1171 ( Uruguay; host plants); Rodriguez Clavijo et al. 2020: 142 View Cited Treatment , 147 ( Paraguay); Quisberth Ramos et al. 2021: 48 View Cited Treatment ( Bolivia: Santa Cruz, Tarija).

Anastrepha nigra View in CoL : Norrbom et al. 2018: 838 (new combination); Calvo et al. 2019: 1169, 1171 ( Uruguay; host plant); Quisberth Ramos et al. 2021: 54 View Cited Treatment ( Bolivia: Cochabamba).

Anastrepha picciola View in CoL : Norrbom et al. 2018: 838 (new combination).

Anastrepha proseni View in CoL : Norrbom et al. 2018: 838 (new combination).

Diagnosis.—This species differs from other species of Anastrepha except other species of the curvicauda group by its reduced chaetotaxy (most head and thoracic setae small or absent, e.g., acrostichal setae absent and apical scutellar setae shorter than half length of scutellum), vein R 2+3 having sharp bends and often spur-veins (strong bends, but not spur veins, occur in some species of the mucronota group), and the male costal setulae proximal to apex of vein R 1 stout. The vespoid-mimic wing pattern (only a broad, uninterrupted costal band and cubital streak) is also rare outside of the curvicauda group. The predominantly brown morph of A. nigrotaenia differs from most other species of the curvicauda group, including A. curvicauda (Gerstaecker) , A. littoralis (Blanchard) and A. recurcauda (Tigrero) , by its mostly brown head, thorax and abdomen; several undescribed species (or possibly morphs) are also predominantly brown but differ from A. nigrotaenia in having a shorter and broader aculeus tip and in some cases a shorter and straight oviscape and presumably a shorter phallus. The yellow and brown morph of A. nigrotaenia differs from A. curvicauda in having the anatergite mostly brown or with a complete dark sublateral stripe and the scutum predominantly brown or with the dark posteromedial brown mark connected with the submedial brown vittae or if separated from them the mark longer than broad. The yellow and brown morph of A. nigrotaenia differs from A. littoralis and A. recurcauda in having the lateral presutural scutal brown mark solid and the notopleuron yellow medially. These two species often have a small basal scutellar seta whereas it is rarely present in A. nigrotaenia . Smaller specimens of A. nigrotaenia might be confused with Anastrepha ligiae Martínez-Alava & Serna which differs in having the oviscape nearly straight and shorter (7.33–9.70 mm long, 2.45–2.57 times mesonotum length), the aculeus tip broader, and the phallus shorter (14.55 mm long, 3.86 times mesonotum length).

Description.—Relatively large (length 10–15 mm, excluding ovipositor), slender flies. Major setae small (usually less than two-thirds length of scutellum) or absent, red brown to dark brown.

Head: Mostly yellow ( Figs. 7, 8 View Figs , 14, 15, 19–21, 29, 30, 37 View Figs ) to mostly brown ( Figs. 1 View Figs , 4 View Figs , 10, 11 View Figs , 25, 34, 35 View Figs ); if former, gena with large brown spot bordering eye, vertex with brown band or 3-lobed mark reaching eye, occiput with medial brown mark and usually small spot dorsally lateral to occipital suture, and frons usually with broad brown mark anteriorly. Face entirely to mostly yellow, including carina medially, usually with at least dark stripe or ventral spot on mesal margin of antennal groove. If head mostly brown, at least dorsum of facial carina, occiput dorsally, posterior to vertex extending along medial margin of occipital suture and often along posterior margin of eye yellow; lunule at least laterally, middle of frons or sometimes parafacial often yellow. Frons with 0–3 frontal and 0–2 orbital setae, often poorly differentiated from setulae when present; ocellar seta weak, shorter than ocellar tubercle. Medial and lateral vertical setae present, but small. Genal setae relatively well developed. Facial carina broad, in profile, straight or slightly concave on dorsal two-thirds. Antenna moderately long but not extending to level of ventral facial margin. Palpus in lateral view dorsally curved, evenly setulose.

Thorax: Predominantly yellow or orange with dark brown to black markings ( Figs. 6, 7 View Figs , 19, 21, 29, 31, 32) or predominantly dark brown, often with yellow markings ( Figs. 1 View Figs , 3 View Figs , 11 View Figs , 14, 16, 25, 34 View Figs , 36, 37 View Figs ). If mostly yellow, scutum with dark brown submedial vitta ending approximately midway between transverse and scuto-scutellar sutures, separated from or occasionally connected to posterior medial dark brown mark which is longer than wide; sublateral postsutural brown vitta not laterally curved posteriorly, usually narrowly connected to posterior medial dark brown mark along scuto-scutellar suture, sometimes also connected anteriorly to submedial dark brown vitta; lateral postsutural dark brown vitta present, narrow, separate from sublateral dark vitta; dark brown presutural lateral spot large, entire, broadly connected posteriorly to dark area over posterior part of notopleuron; anterior notopleural mark well separated from both ends of this spot; scutellum with distinct dark brown band on apical margin, often fainter or yellowish between apical setae; anepisternum with 1 dark band, oblique or almost vertical from anterodorsal corner, sometimes (5 Resistencia specimens) with tiny dark mark near posterior margin on dorsal half; anepimeron with 1 dark vertical band; anatergite with lateral dark stripe. Subscutellum with brown spot laterally. Mediotergite usually with brown stripe or ventral spot laterally although often separate from mark on subscutellum. If thorax predominantly brown, often with some or all of following yellow areas: postpronotal lobe paler or yellow medially; scutum with narrow medial and/or submedial vittae, margins of transverse suture often connected to narrow vitta bordering lateral brown vitta; and/or elongate triangular yellow marks posteriorly; scutellum except base and apex; posterodorsal spot on katatergite; posterior margin of anepisternum; katepimeron; dorsum of katatergite; narrow posterior margin of anatergite; and/or middle of mediotergite and sometimes subscutellum. Mesonotum 3.30–4.30 mm long. Postpronotal lobe, notopleuron, and scutellum entirely microtrichose; scutum mostly nonmicrotrichose except lateral to intra-alar line, narrowly along midline, and on posterior third along dorsocentral line; scutal setulae orange. Dorsocentral seta often present, but weak. Acrostichal seta absent. Basal scutellar seta usually absent (present in 2 Resistencia specimens). Anepisternal, anepimeral and katepisternal setae absent or not differentiated from setulae.

Legs: From mostly yellow or orange, with fore tibia at least anteriorly and apically, and fore tarsus brown, to mostly brown, with at least bases of mid and hind tibiae and mid and hind basitarsi yellow to orange.

Wing ( Figs. 2 View Figs , 7 View Figs , 14, 24, 27, 34 View Figs , 37–41 View Figs View Figs ): Length 10.79–12.34 mm, width 3.80– 4.16 mm, ratio 2.78–3.01. Apex of vein

R 1 at 0.58–0.62 wing length, proximal to, aligned with or distal to level of anterior end of crossvein r-m. Costa in male, except basal segment, with setae stout to at least apex of vein Sc and at most to apex of vein R 1. Cell c 1.07–1.30 times as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 4.02–6.24 times as long as wide. Vein sc with subapical bend relatively weak, at 45–60° angle to basal part of vein. Vein R 2+3 with 3–4 strong, often sharp bends on middle section, sometimes with spur veins at bends. Crossvein r-m at 0.62–0.67 distance from bm-m to dm-m on vein M 1. Vein M 1 weakly curved apically, but cell r4+5 gradually narrowing, at apex 0.61–0.75 times as wide as at level of dm-m, 0.68– 0.83 times as wide as maximum subapical width. Cell cua with distal lobe short to long, length of cua 1.48–1.78 times as long as anterior margin, lobe 0.74–1.62 times as long as vein CuA+CuP. Wing pattern more or less evenly orange to brown, or if dark sometimes becoming paler distally; comprising broad costal band covering all of cells bc, c, sc, r 1 and r 2+3, all of cell br proximal to crossband bm-m and anterior margin distal to it, and anterior margin of cell r 4+5; and cubital streak covering all of cell cua and sometimes posterior margin of cell bm and base of cell m 4.

Abdomen ( Figs. 1 View Figs , 7 View Figs , 12 View Figs , 14, 18, 19, 23, 25, 29, 33, 34 View Figs , 37 View Figs ): Petiolate, base of syntergite 1+2 narrow and parallel-sided, apical part broadening. Color pattern varying from yellow with brown bands to almost entirely red brown to dark brown except for narrow yellow band at apex of narrow part of syntergite 1+2; if extensively yellow, base of syntergite 1+2 yellow, expanded apical part of syntergite 1+2 red brown to dark brown, often with yellow apical band, other tergites red brown to dark brown, apical margin of each with or without yellow band of varying width.

Female terminalia: Oviscape ( Figs. 6, 7 View Figs , 18, 29, 36 View Figs ) 10.28–24.10 mm long, 2.94–5.60 times as long as mesonotum, strongly dorsally arched in lateral view; mostly orange, extreme base usually brown dorsally; spiracle at basal 0.11– 0.15. Eversible membrane ( Figs. 42, 43 View Figs ) with 30–40 relatively slender hooklike denticles in 3-5 V-shaped rows. Aculeus strongly ventrally curved in lateral view, 13.9–17.7 mm long (range probably 10.0– 23.25 based on estimates from oviscape length), 0.94–0.99 times oviscape length; in ventral view base slightly, gradually expanded, triangular, 0.18 mm wide, shaft 0.12–0.13 mm wide at midlength; tip ( Figs. 44–48 View Figs ) 0.26–0.31 mm long, 0.02 times aculeus length, 0.10–0.11 mm wide (widest basally), 2.45–3.05 times as long as wide; in ventral view gradually tapered to apex, lateral margins convex or sometimes slightly concave proximal to serrate part, distal 0.27–0.52 finely serrate; 0.060 –0.080 mm wide in lateral view, 0.52–0.73 times ventral width. Spermathecae not examined.

Male terminalia: Epandrium shorter than high in lateral view, in posterior view with posterodorsal margin with V-shaped medial indentation. Lateral surstylus very short, extended beyond prensisetae by 0.02 times length of prensiseta; in lateral view apex broad and bluntly truncate; in posterior view apex rounded, medial margin straight to concave, lateral margin convex. Proctiger with ventral and lateral sclerotized areas connected. Phallus 21.5– 26.5 mm long, 5.74–6.34 times as long as mesonotum; glans 0.5-0.6 mm long, relatively slender.

Distribution.— Argentina (Buenos Aires, Chaco, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán), Bolivia (Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay, Uruguay.

Type data.— Enderlein (1927) described Vespomima nigrotaenia from an unstated number of male specimens from “ Argentinien, Provinz Buenos Aires, 1910”. In the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, there is a single male ( Figs. 1–5 View Figs View Figs ), here considered the holotype (ICZN Art. 73.1.2) as it is labeled “Type” in Enderlein’s writing, with the labels ( Fig. 5 View Figs ) “10 Argentinien Prov. Buenos Aires [green]; “Type” [orange]; and “ Vespomima nigrotaenia Enderl. ♂ Type Dr. Enderlein det. 1927”, in Enderlein’s writing except for “Dr. Enderlein det. 19” which is printed. The holotype is in good condition except for a small tear in the right wing.

Blanchard (1960) described Toxotrypana australis from multiple “Cotipos”, including two females “criadas por [reared by] el Ing. Agr. G. A. Kreibohm de la Vega en frutas de Morrenia sp. Tucumán III-1947 ”, and others of unstated sex from Corrientes: Bella Vista, May 1943; Buenos Aires: M[anuel] Gonnet, Apr 1942, reared by Uvaldo López Cristóbal; and Santiago del Estero: La Banda, 12 Mar 1945, B. Carlomagno. Specimens in the MACN include a female ( Figs. 6–9 View Figs ), here designated lectotype of T. australis to stabilize the status of this name, with labels ( Fig. 9 View Figs ) with “ Argentina Tucumán ”, “criada por K. de la Vega de frutas de Morrenia sp. ”, and “ Toxotrypana australis det. E. E. BLANCHARD”. It is the only putative syntype with a Blanchard determination label. It is in good condition. A puparium is on its pin above the labels. A female with only a label “ Argentina Tucumán ” like that on the lectotype, a female from La Banda, Santiago del Estero, two females from Bella Vista, Corrientes, and one labeled “M. B. Gonnet IV-1942 ”, presumably the specimen from Buenos Aires, have been labeled as paralectotypes, although the abdominal pattern of the Gonnet female better matches the description of T. proseni .

Blanchard (1960) described Toxotrypana nigra from the female holotype ( Figs. 10–13 View Figs ) from “Concordia, Entre Ríos, 14-VI-1947, criada por el ingeniero agrónomo Misael J. Minatta en frutos de “tasi””. It was located in the MACN and bears labels ( Fig. 13 View Figs ) with “s/Tasi Concordia 14-VI-47 M Minatta” and “Tipos Toxotrypana nigra Blnchd. det. E. E. BLANCHARD”. More than half of the oviscape is missing, although the aculeus is intact, and most of the left antenna is lost, but otherwise the holotype is in good condition.

Blanchard (1960) described Toxotrypana picciola from the holotype female ( Figs. 14–18 View Figs ) “cazada en mosqueros [caught in fly traps] de la Estación Experimental Agrícola de Tucumán, III-1947 ”. It was located in the MACN and bears labels ( Fig. 17 View Figs ) with “Est. Exp. Agc Tucum. III-/947” and “ Toxotrypana picciola Blnchd. det. E. E. BLANCHARD”. The abdomen is detached and mounted on its side on a card and the left fore tarsus is missing, but otherwise the holotype is in fairly good condition.

Blanchard (1960) described Toxotrypana proseni from the holotype female ( Figs. 19–24 View Figs ) “procedente de Punta Lara, provincial de Buenos Aires, 29-III-1941, criada por [reared by] el señor Prosen de frutos de “tasi’. It was located in the MACN and bears labels ( Fig. 22 View Figs ) with “Punta Lara 29.-III-941 Prosen” and “Tipo Toxotrypana proseni Blnchd. det. E. E. BLANCHARD”. It does not have any labels with the host information reported by Blanchard (1960). The right fore and hind legs, the left mid tarsus, and the apical half of the ovipositor are missing, but the holotype is otherwise in good condition.

Blanchard (1960) described Toxotrypana pseudopicciola from the holotype female ( Figs. 25–28 View Figs ) “criada por [reared by] el señor Bahamondes, de “tasi” en Córdoba, 18-II-1945 ”. It was located in the MACN and bears labels ( Fig. 28 View Figs ) with “24”, “ Córdoba, 18-II-45, Bahamondes”, and “s/frutas de taxi”, “ Holotipo Toxotrypana pseudopicciola Blnchd. det. E. E. BLANCHARD”. It is double mounted on a card, with the right wing removed and mounted on another card; the thorax is slightly shriveled, the right antenna, right fore leg, and apical four tarsomeres of the right hind leg are missing, and the ventral side of the head and thorax are obscured by glue. A male specimen also bears a label with “24” and Blanchard’s determination label as T. pseudopicciola and “tipos”, but it was not mentioned in the original description and therefore is not a type.

Additional specimens examined (dark morph specimens indicated by *, yellow and brown morph, abdomen without yellow bands by **).— ARGENTINA: Chaco: Resistencia outskirts, on foliage of Araujia odorata [as Morrenia odorata ] and Araujia sp. , 1 May 1982, Cordo and Briano, 1♂ * 6♀ * ( USNM USNMENT01841165–71) 3♂ ( USNM USNMENT00250431–33); Resistencia outskirts, as larva feeding on seeds inside seed pod of Araujia odorata [as Morrenia odorata ], 1 May 1982, Cordo and Briano, 1♂ * ( USNM USNMENT01841172) 8♂ 4♀ ( USNM USNMENT00250434–45). Córdoba: Córdoba, criada de frutos de tasi, 18 Feb 1945, Bahamondes, 1♂ * ( MACN). Corrientes: Bella Vista, May 1943, 1♂ * ( MACN). Entre Ríos: Concordia, s/tasi, 14 Jun 1947, M. J. Minatta, 1♂ * ( MACN). Santiago del Estero: Lago Mayo, 29 Mar – 22 Apr 1957, R. Golbach, 1♀ * ( IML). Tucumán: Amicha del Valle, reared ex seed pod of Araujia odorata [as Morrenia odorata ], 21 Jan 1991, Logarto and Casalinuovo, 2♀ with puparia ( USNM USNMENT00250428–29); Burruyacu, V. Padre Monti, 17 Jan – 7 Feb 1948, R. Golbach, 1♂ ( IML); Burruyacu, Taruca Pampa, Finca San Augustine, McPhail trap in citrus orchard, 5 Mar 1989, 1♂ * ( USNM USNMENT00104813) 1♀ ( USNM USNM ENT00250417); same, 20 Mar 1989, 3♂ ( USNM USNMENT00052664, USNME NT00104801–02) 3♀ ( USNM USNMENT 00104804–06); same, 30 Mar 1989, 3♂ 4♀ ( USNM USNMENT00052663, USNME NT00250409–14); same, 9 Apr 1989, 1♂ ( QDPC) 1♂ 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT 00250418–19); same, 19 Apr 1989, 2♂ 4♀ ( USNM USNMENT00104807–12); same, 26 Apr 1989, 1♂ 2♀ ( USNM USNMENT 00250415–16, USNMENT00995559); same, 7 May 1989, 1♂ ( USNM USNME NT00250420); same, 10 May 1989, 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT00250421); same, 2 Mar 1992, 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT00 250424); same, 18 Mar 1992, 1♀ ( QDPC); same, 15 Apr 1992, 1♂ 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT00250422–23); same, 14 May 1992, 1♀ * ( USNM USNMENT00104814) 2♀ ( USNM USNMENT00250426– 27); same, 1 Jun 1992, 1♀ ( USNM USNMENT00250425); Horco Molle, 26 Mar 1966, L. Stange, 1♀ * ( IML); Horco Molle, 24 Apr – 9 May 1968, C. C. Porter, 1♀ * ( MCZ); Horco Molle, 22 Nov 1973, L. Stange, 1♀ ( IML); Tafí Viejo, La Picada, reared ex fruit of doca, Gonolobus rostratus [as Exolobus patens ], Jan 1993, CIRPON, 1♂ ( USNM USNMENT00250430); Tapia, 3 May 1964, C. E. and E. S. Ross, 1♀ * ( IML); Tucumán, [no date], 1♂ 1♀ ( IML) 1♂ ( MACN); Tucumán, 2 May 1971, R. Golbach, 1♀ ( IML); Tucumán, Estación Experimental Agricola, Mar 1947, 3♂ * 2♀ * ( MACN) 1♂ 2♀ ( MACN) 1♀ * ( USNM USNMENT00104973). BOLIVIA: [unspecified locality], 06-06-01, 1♀ * ( USNM USNMENT00744219). Chuquisaca: Hernando Siles, Monteagudo, 05-03- 02, McPhail trap, 2009, 1♂ * ( USNM USNMENT01776255); same, 1♀ * ( USNM ENT01776256) [tentatively identified, ovipositor relatively short]. Cochabamba: Aiguile, 18.32611°S 65.22861°W, 04-06- 03-06, 2080 m, McPhail trap, 22 Jan 2009, 1♀ * ( USNM USNMENT00744925); GoogleMaps Mizque, 17.91667°S 65.31667°W, McPhail trap, 2009, 1♀ * (USNMENT00744926). Santa Cruz: Florida, Pampagrande, Feb 1997, A. Langer, 1♂ ( MNKM); GoogleMaps Pampagrande, su aguijón en pl. uruma, 1 Feb 1996, A. Langer, 2♀ ( MNKM). Tarija: Carapari, 06-04-03, McPhail trap, 2008, 1♂ 4♀ ( USNM USNMENT00744127–31); Gran Chaco, Villamontes, 06-04-02, McPhail trap, 2008, 1♂ 6♀ ( USNM USNMENT00744120-26). PARAGUAY: Guaira: Villarrica, no date, F. Schade, 1♂ ( MCZ). PERU: Pasco: Oxapampa, dist. Mallapampa, -10.50715 -75.67027, 30 Sep 2005, 1♀ * (USNMENT01776259) [tentatively identified, ovipositor relatively short]. GoogleMaps URUGUAY: Montevideo: Montevideo, Punta de Rieles, 34.82058°S 56.09816°W, reared from fruit of Araujia sericifera, Jan – Feb 2020 , 4♂ * 4♀ * ( USNM T21_01419_009 - T21_01419_016) 3♂ ( USNM T21_01419_001, T21_01419_003, T21_01419_007) 1♂ ** ( USNM T21_ 01419_004) 4♀ ** (T21_01419_002, T21_ 01419_005, T21_01419_006, T21_01419_ 008). GoogleMaps

Comments.— Blanchard (1960) described six species of Toxotrypana from Argentina, of which five are currently recognized as valid species of Anastrepha . Anastrepha littoralis (Blanchard) , a predominantly yellow species reared from papaya, has a different color pattern and is clearly distinct from the other species in morphological and molecular characters. Four of the other species ( A. australis , A. nigra , A. proseni and A. pseudopicciola ) were reared from Araujia (as Morrenia or tasi, a common name for some species of the genus). Toxotrypana pseudopicciola was considered a synonym of Toxotrypana nigra by Norrbom et al. (1999), but without explanation.

According to Blanchard’s species concepts, A. proseni and A. australis are both yellow to orange with dark brown to black markings, and differ mainly in their abdominal color patterns, with A. proseni lacking apical yellow bands on the terga and A. australis having them. Similarly, A. nigra , A. picciola and A. pseudopicciola are predominantly dark brown, with A. picciola differing from the other two only by the presence of yellow apical bands on the abdominal tergites. According to Blanchard, T. pseudopicciola could be distinguished by its shorter oviscape (oviscapto), which he says is hardly longer than the abdomen. However, the holotype is small (mesonotum length 2.36 mm) and its oviscape is broken, with the apex missing, but the aculeus intact. Although the remaining part of the oviscape is only 4 mm long, the distance from its base to the apex of the aculeus is 6.9 mm, which is more than the combined lengths of the mesonotum (2.36 mm) and abdomen (4.4 mm), and 2.92 times that of the mesonotum, and the complete oviscape was presumably longer. The oviscape/ mesonotum ratio for the holotype was, however, probably less than in other measured females of A. nigrotaenia (mesonotum length 3.30–4.30 mm, oviscape/ mesonotum ratio 3.75–5.60, n=11), but we presume this to be due to its small size or the rearing conditions that limited its size.

Specimens included in our molecular analyses, including specimens reared from the same samples of Araujia sericifera , would be identified morphologically following Blanchard’s concepts as A. australis , A. nigra and A. proseni , but none differ significantly in COI or 16S rRNA sequences and they form a single clade in the AHE analysis. In the MNLRNZ colony, cages containing only predominantly brown or only yellow and brown flies as well as a single cross between a pair of flies with different patterns all yielded offspring with both types of color patterns. Furthermore, study of additional specimens (not suitable for molecular analysis) revealed that there is a range of variation in body patterns, particularly in the width of the bands on the abdomen. Therefore, the type specimens of all of these Blanchard names appear to be conspecific. The holotype of Vespomima nigrotaenia ( Figs. 1–5 View Figs View Figs ) is nearly identical morphologically to the holotype of T. nigra Blanchard ( Figs. 10–13 View Figs ), thus all of these names should be considered synonyms. As V. nigrotaenia is the senior name, Anastrepha nigrotaenia (Enderlein) is the valid name for this species.