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Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa
South Africa is known for its highly endemic and remarkably species-rich fauna and flora. The Greater Cape Floristic Region, consisting of the Cape Floristic Region and the Succulent Karoo Region, is home to South Africa's second most diverse plant family, the Aizoaceae. While the Aizoaceae are rela...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Biological Sciences
2021
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| _version_ | 1867613470620385280 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Van Munster, Stephany |
| author2 | Dorchin, Netta |
| author_browse | Dorchin, Netta Van Munster, Stephany |
| author_facet | Dorchin, Netta Van Munster, Stephany |
| author_sort | Van Munster, Stephany |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | South Africa is known for its highly endemic and remarkably species-rich fauna and flora. The Greater Cape Floristic Region, consisting of the Cape Floristic Region and the Succulent Karoo Region, is home to South Africa's second most diverse plant family, the Aizoaceae. While the Aizoaceae are relatively well studied, there has been little work done on their associated insect fauna. Preliminary observations in recent years revealed a diverse community of gall midges on these plants. This study aimed to investigate the gall midges associated with two speciose genera of Aizoaceae and it is the first of its kind in South Africa. I report five new species of gall midges, three belonging to Asphondylia Loew and two to Lasioptera Meigen. These species are described from several species within the Aizoaceae genera Drosanthemum Schwantes and Malephora N.E.Br., and additional host records were recorded from Lampranthus N.E.Br., Carpobrotus N.E.br., Acrodon N.E.Br., Cephalophyllum Haw. and Jordaaniella H.E.K. Hartmann. The gall midges are described from adults, pupae and larvae and information is provided on their galls, life history and distribution. Morphological attributes of the gall midges support the description of five distinct species. Furthermore, morphological characters of the Lasioptera species described here do not fit entirely with those of the genus, suggesting that a new genus should be established for them. These results provide a mere snapshot of the gall midge diversity that is to be found on Aizoaceae in southern Africa, and much work is still to be done on the Cecidomyiidae of South Africa as a whole. Further targeted sampling may reveal greater distribution ranges and additional host plants for the five species described here, as well as many more undescribed species across the Aizoaceae. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33962 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:39.904Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | Department of Biological Sciences |
| publisherStr | Department of Biological Sciences |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33962 Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa Van Munster, Stephany Dorchin, Netta Colville, Jonathan Hoffmann, John Hugh Biological Sciences South Africa is known for its highly endemic and remarkably species-rich fauna and flora. The Greater Cape Floristic Region, consisting of the Cape Floristic Region and the Succulent Karoo Region, is home to South Africa's second most diverse plant family, the Aizoaceae. While the Aizoaceae are relatively well studied, there has been little work done on their associated insect fauna. Preliminary observations in recent years revealed a diverse community of gall midges on these plants. This study aimed to investigate the gall midges associated with two speciose genera of Aizoaceae and it is the first of its kind in South Africa. I report five new species of gall midges, three belonging to Asphondylia Loew and two to Lasioptera Meigen. These species are described from several species within the Aizoaceae genera Drosanthemum Schwantes and Malephora N.E.Br., and additional host records were recorded from Lampranthus N.E.Br., Carpobrotus N.E.br., Acrodon N.E.Br., Cephalophyllum Haw. and Jordaaniella H.E.K. Hartmann. The gall midges are described from adults, pupae and larvae and information is provided on their galls, life history and distribution. Morphological attributes of the gall midges support the description of five distinct species. Furthermore, morphological characters of the Lasioptera species described here do not fit entirely with those of the genus, suggesting that a new genus should be established for them. These results provide a mere snapshot of the gall midge diversity that is to be found on Aizoaceae in southern Africa, and much work is still to be done on the Cecidomyiidae of South Africa as a whole. Further targeted sampling may reveal greater distribution ranges and additional host plants for the five species described here, as well as many more undescribed species across the Aizoaceae. 2021-09-16T12:44:44Z 2021-09-16T12:44:44Z 2021 2021-09-16T12:43:29Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33962 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science |
| spellingShingle | Biological Sciences Van Munster, Stephany Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| title_full | Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| title_short | Taxonomy and Life History of Gall Midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) on Drosanthemum and Malephora (Aizoaceae) in South Africa |
| title_sort | taxonomy and life history of gall midges diptera cecidomyiidae on drosanthemum and malephora aizoaceae in south africa |
| topic | Biological Sciences |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33962 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanmunsterstephany taxonomyandlifehistoryofgallmidgesdipteracecidomyiidaeondrosanthemumandmalephoraaizoaceaeinsouthafrica |