Hidden Diversity-A New Speciose Gall Midge Genus (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Associated with Succulent Aizoaceae in South Africa

• Published in: Insects (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 75
• Main Authors: Dorchin, Netta, van Munster, Stephany, Klak, Cornelia, Bowie, Rauri C K, Colville, Jonathan F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10-01-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adults; Aizoaceae; Cecidomyiidae; Diptera; Ecosystems; Endemism; Ethanol; Flowers & plants; galls; Host plants; Ice formation; Insects; Jargon; Laboratories; Lasiopterini; Life history; Morphology; Museums; Namaqualand; New genera; New species; Plant tissues; Ruschioideae; Ruschiola; Vegetation; South Africa; Karoo; United States > US; Germany; Africa; Succulent Karoo; galls; Lasiopterini; Aizoaceae; Namaqualand; Ruschioideae; Ruschiola
• ISSN: 2075-4450; 2075-4450
• DOI: 10.3390/insects13010075

Aizoaceae (Caryophyllales) constitute one of the major floral components of the unique Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR), with more than 1700 species and 70% endemism. Within succulent Aizoaceae, the subfamily Ruschioideae is the most speciose and rapidly diversifying clade, offering potential niches for the diversification of specialized herbivorous insects. Nevertheless, insect diversity on these plants has not been studied to date, and knowledge of gall-inducing insects in the Afrotropics is generally scarce. Our recent observations indicate that succulent Aizoaceae in the GCFR support a rich and largely unstudied community of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Here, we provide a first report of their diversity with a description of a new genus,
Dorchin, and ten new species, based on morphological and molecular analyses of material collected during a three-year targeted survey across major GCFR vegetation types. A high degree of morphological uniformity in
suggests recent diversification and necessitated the use of molecular data and laboratory rearing from host plants to verify species boundaries and host ranges.