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Diptera: Tephritidae) Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS Volume 95 Number Article 5 1988 The Taxonomy and Biology of Strauzia (Diptera: Tephritidae) W. Bryan Stoltzfus William Penn College Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright © Copyright 1988 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias Part of the Anthropology Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons, and the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Recommended Citation Stoltzfus, W. Bryan (1988) "The Taxonomy and Biology of Strauzia (Diptera: Tephritidae)," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 95(4), 117-126. Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol95/iss4/5 This Research is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa Academy of Science at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. )our. Iowa Acad. Sci. 95(4): 117-126, 1988 The Taxonomy and Biology of Strauzia (Diptera: Tephritidae) W. BRYAN STOLTZFUS William Penn College, 201 Trueblood Avenue, Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577 The Norrh American genus Strauzia is revised. Five new species are included wirh keys ro adulrs of rhe 12 known species. Hosr planr, imporranr larval characrerisrics, and life cycle informarion are given for 11 of rhe species. The evolurion of rhe genus is discussed and 14 hosr planrs are reporred. All species bore in rhe srems of Asreraceae, pupariare in rhe crown area or in rhe soil, and are univolrine. INDEX DESCRIPTORS: Tephriridae, Strauzia. Sunflower maggor, Taxonomy The importance of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., as a crop has in wing pattern and development of enlarged fronto-orbital bristles. caused an increased interest in the sunflower maggot, Strauzia The intergrading wing pattern and the natal darkening have been longipennis (Wiedemann), as a pest. All species of Strauzia whose principal causes of taxonomic confusion in the genus. biology is known, bore in the stems of Asteraceae during the larval The main contributions to the taxonomy of Strauzia were made by stage, feeding on the parenchyma. This mode of feeding does not Loew (1873), who described seven varieties, and by Steyskal (1986). greatly harm the plant, but apparently reduces seed production Phillips (1923), provided a key to the seven varieties of Loew. Steyskal (Brink, 1923). Larval feeding weakens the stems sufficiently; so that (1986) described three new species, raised four varieties to new status high winds, coming at the crucial time when seed-heads are matur­ as species, and synonymized three other varieties of Loew ( 187 3) with ing, may cause considerable stem breakage and seed loss (Caesar, S. longipennis. Host plants were given for all but one of the new 1924). species. Novak ( 1977) and Wasbauer ( 1972) also have reported host The taxonomy of the genus was revised by Steyskal ( 1986) without plants all of which, except for S. longipennis, have been derived from the benefit of biological data or larval morphology. He discussed the my rearing records. relationship of this genus to other tephritids. Steyskal (1986) also discussed morphological terminology of the Knowledge of larval morphology, mating behavior in nature, postabdomen. Biological information needed to identify sibling pupariation, and host plant data adds greatly to the understanding of species was not available to him, nor did he use subimago characteris­ this genus. Only Phillips ( 1946) has studied the larvae. tics. The Helianthus host plants of Strauzia are undergoing changes with The taxonomic keys of Steyskal ( 1986) are difficult to use and in many polyploid species and species that hybridize (Heiser, 1969). some cases misleading. I find several characters of no value in Heiser ( I969) has divided the Helianthus into three sections. In the separating species due to their great variability. The postocellar setae first section where all species are annuals with n = 17 chromosomes, and the pigmentation of subscostal cell vary too widely in my only H. annuus is a host plant. No hosts have been reported among the specimens to be diagnostic. The size and shape of the rasper teeth, the eight species of section two having n = 17. In section three eight of 29 shape and color of the spermathecae, and the shape and color of the species serve as host to Strauzia. All of these having n = _34 or n = 51. preterminal vesicles also are of no diagnostic use. The orientation of The status of Strauzia spp. attacking Helianthus hirsutus Raf. (n = _34) the spicules of S. perfecta (Steyskal, 1986, p. 115, Fig. 10) as and H. strumosus L. (n = 34, 51) has not been satisfactorily deter­ illustrated are not as they are in my specimens, which are oblique to mined. Strauzia species occuring in the Southwest have not been horizontal. adequately studied or collected; this is especially true of S. noctipennis. Due to Steyskal's reliance on these variable characters and the S. longipennis, and S. vittig1?1·a. addition of five new species included in this paper I have provided a key to species. MATERIAL AND METHODS Strauzia may be distinguished from other North American Tephri­ tidae by the following combination of characters: 1) third antenna! This study was based on the examination of more than 3,000 segment not more than half the length of the face, 2) oral margin specimens from North America. A list of institutions from which anterior to genal bristle lacking well-developed bristles, 3) only one specimens were borrowed was given by Stoltzfus, ( 1977). pair of upper fronto-orbitals, 4) width of front equal to Y2 width of Immature specimens were cleared in potassium hydroxide and head, head higher than long, 5) proboscis not geniculate, 6) presurur­ studied in glycerin. Drawings were made by use of an ocular grid. al bristle present, 7) humeral bristle present, 8) dorsal-central bristles Measurements that were made of the genitalia and head and the close to a transverse line between the supra-alars, 9) scutellum neither terminology used are discussed by Stoltzfus ( 1977). Measurements swollen nor polished, bearing two pair of bristles, 10) wings long, involving less than 10 specimens are so noted in the text. narrow, not reticulate, 11) Cu2 bent at near right angle, closing anal Plant names were checked against those used by Van Brugger cell with an elongate point approximately length of anal cell before ( 1976) and Heiser ( 1969). Dr. Charles Heiser, Deparrment ofBiology, posterior wing margin, 12) claspers as long as width of epandrium, Indiana University, identified species of Helianthus: other plants were 13) prensisetae similar in size and conical, 14) puparium shining light identified by the author. yellow, integument very hard, 15) third instar larva with anterior Numerous field observations were made of courtship, oviposition, spiracles bearing 18-65 papillae, posterior spiracular disc with 28-60 and mating. Only identifications of fly species made in the field at hair-like interspiracular processes, spiracular slits elongated (Figs. 1- distances of 60 cm or less were reported. 5). The larval characteristics of all species are very similar. No consis­ Genus Strauzia tant differences were noted except for the number of papillae on the Strauzia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830. 718. anterior spiracles; therefore, only the description of one species, S. There is considerable difference between the sexes of Strauzia both perfecta, is given. 118 JOUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 95(1988) Table 1. Host Plants of Strauzia Table 3. Life Cycle Data of Strauzia Species Host Plant Pupation Site Species Spring Emergence-Disappearance Pupariation arculata Helianthus grosse.rerratus crown arcul giganteus H. giganteus upper root gigan intermedia Rudbeckia laciniata crown longipennis H. annuus soil inter longitudinal is H. decapetalis roor, soil longp noctipennis H. grosse.rerratus soil perfecta Ambrosia trifida soil longt rugosum Eupatorium rugosum soil nocti stoltzfusi unknown unknown perfe uvedaliae Smallanthus uvedalia soil verbesinae Verbesina occidentalis upper root rugos vittigera H. hirsutus upper root uveda H. tuberosus upper root unknown species H. maximiliani (Guthrie Co., la.) verbe H. mollis (reported from Joliet, II.) vitti H. strumosus upper root May June July August Sept Oct General Biology *Only three adults were collected, one June 13 and two June 25; Adults emerge in late May and in June, with peak emergence all other data represent ten or more observations. occurring in early June in central Iowa. Adult males are usually found on the upper leaves of their host plant patrolling a leaf or resting on the displays. A complete sequence of wing and body motions may last 10 under surface. Intruders are chased away by wing movements or short seconds, but copulation may ensue without such displays. Copulation forward thrusts of the body. may last for several hours. Flies in tandem are frequetly observed in Male territoriality reduces interference with courtship if a female nature. A pair of S. vittigera kept in a baby food jar were observed should alight on its plant. The female is usually observed walking mating each morning for eight days. around, apparently searching for suitable ovipositon sites in the upper Adult numbers decrease by late June and most species are gone for two or three internodes of the taller host plants. Eggs are inserted into the year by early July, but a specimen of S. perfecta was taken on the parenchyma of an internode sufficiently deep for the egg to be August 12 in Ames, Iowa. All species are univoltine. completely protected. As the plant grows and new internodes occur, Larvae tunnel in the pith parenchyma of the host, moving up and more eggs are laid in the stem. In some species few eggs develop into down the stem and doing considerable damage in some plants (Brink, mature larvae, possibly due ro intraspecific competition.
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