Taxonomy of Leafminer Flies in Family Agromyzidae (Order: Diptera) in Vegetable Crops

Abstract

A taxonomic study of leafminers in the family Agromyzidae, which damage important vegetable crops in Thailand was carried out. The objective was to learn about species and important morphological features used in species classification. Larvae were collected from damaged leaves of various kinds of vegetable from plantations in all regions of Thailand between October 2018 and September 2021. Larvae were reared until adulthood for the study of important morphological features such as wing length, color pattern, thorax, abdomen, and male genitalia at the laboratory of Insect Taxonomy Group, Entomology and Zoology Division, Plant Protection Research Development Office. Five Liriomyza spp were found:Liriomyza brassicae (Riley, 1884),L. chinensis (Kato, 1949), L. huidobrensis (Blanchard, 1926), L. sativae Blanchard, 1938. and L. trifolii (Burgess 1880). Abdominal color patterns and morphological characteristics of male genitalia were found to be useful for identification. A key to the discrimination of these five species is provided. Further DNA barcode and phylogenetic analysis are needed to clarify the distinction among other species of Agromyzidae present in Thailand and neighbouring countries.