Asteralobia Gall Midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on Aster Species (Asteraceae) in Japan and the Russian Far East

Abstract

Full-grown larvae of Asteralobia doellingeriae and Asteralobia asteris wereredescribed. An unidentified gall midge forming drop-shaped flower galls on Aster scaber in Japan was identified as A. doellingeriae, which had been known only from the Russian Far East but was newly recorded from Japan. Gall midges causing flower galls on Aster ageratoides subsp. ovatus and Aster glehni var. hondoensis in Japan were identified as Asteralobia species.

Host Plant Ranges and Distribution Records of Identified and Unidentified Species of the Genus Lasioptera (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae) in Japan

“…ovatus and A. semiamplexicaulis to the host range of L. gibaushi based on the same sort of drop-shaped galls induced on the same organ of the congeneric plant species. Tokuda et al (2003), who examined larvae obtained from drop-shaped galls on A. scaber, noted that the larvae did not have characteristics of Lasioptera. The larvae and structure of the galls on A. scaber were identical to those of Russian Far Eastern Asteralobia doellingeriae Kovalev, 1964(Kovalev, 1964.…”

“…However, the description of L. gibaushi by Shinji (1939e) indicates that the adult is morphologically different from A. doellingeriae and possibly belongs to Lasioptera. Tokuda et al (2003) considered that Shinji (1939e) erroneously described adults of L. gibaushi based on specimens reared from galls other than the drop-shaped galls on A. scaber. Tokuda et al (2003) also proposed to combine the gall midges from drop-shaped galls on A. microcephalus var.…”

“…Tokuda et al (2003) considered that Shinji (1939e) erroneously described adults of L. gibaushi based on specimens reared from galls other than the drop-shaped galls on A. scaber. Tokuda et al (2003) also proposed to combine the gall midges from drop-shaped galls on A. microcephalus var. ovatus and A. semiamplexicaulis with Asteralobia.…”