Japanagromyza desmodivora Spencer, 1966
The body surface is very similar to Japanagromyza aequalis. It is necessary for reliable identification to study the male genitalia.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
Adults
Wing length: 1.9 - 2.3 mm. The lower two frontorbital bristles are somewhat thinner than the upper ones.
Male terminalia
Surstyli very long with one row of spines on the inner side; cerci wide and long.
Both cerci and surstyli covered with bristles on inner sides; cerci apically with long hairs. Ejaculatory apodeme with small and very thin apical part. Hypandrial apodeme absent, hypandrium narrow with thin frame.
Aedeagus with completely hyaline distiphallus, which has two terminal tubules. Projections of the basiphallus hyaline long and wide, about as long as distiphallus.
Immature stages
Puparium orange brown (Spencer and Steyskal, 1986). Picture of posterior spiracles in Spencer and Steyskal, 1986.
BIONOMICS
The larva forms a blotch mine on the upper surface of the leaf.
HOST PLANTS
Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC. and almost certainly other Desmodium species (Spencer, 1973). This plants are used as fodder crop.
DISTRIBUTION
USA: Florida, Miami; Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Bahamas, ?Colombia.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
No damage reported, but desmodivora could be a potential pest.