Acroceratitis ceratitina (Bezzi)

David, K. J., Noor Mahammed, N. R., Hancock, D. L., Gracy, R. G., Ningthoujam, Kennedy & Sushil, S. N., 2025, Taxonomic notes on Oriental bamboo-shoot fruit fly genus Acroceratitis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae: Gastrozonini), with description of a new species from India, Zootaxa 5637 (1), pp. 83-98 : 91-92

Acroceratitis ceratitina (Bezzi)

( Figures 19 , 23 b−28b)

Stictaspis ceratitina Bezzi, 1913: 104 .

Chelyophora ceratitina : Munro, 1938:22.

Chelyophora gladiella Munro, 1938: 22 .

Chelyophora clavifera Hering, 1938: 7 .

Acroceratitis ceratitina : Hardy, 1973: 219; Hancock & Drew, 1999: 774.

Acroceratitis gladiella : Hardy, 1973: 219.

Acroceratitis cognata Hardy, 1973: 225 .

Acroceratitis biseta Wang, 1998: 24 .

Material examined: 1♀, 8♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, Pasighat , COHF, 28.0785° N, 95.3236° E, 27.ix.2022, David, K.J ; 1♀, 2♂♂ same data as previous except date 03.x.2022 ; 3♀♀, 5♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, Lower Dibang, Bomjir , 30.ix.2022, David, K.J ; 2♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, East Siang, Raneghat , 23.1745° N, 88.5606° E, 02.x.2022, David, K.J ; 4♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, East Siang, Silluk , 28.2113° N, 95.5324° E, 03.x.2022, David, K.J ; 4♀♀, 2♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, East Siang, Namsing , 13.7067° N, 100.7061° E, 02.x.2022, David, K.J ; 3♂♂ INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh, Roing, Lower Dibang valley , 28.1179° N, 95.8226° E, 30.ix.2022, David, K.J ; 5♀♀ INDIA, Bihar, East Champaran, KVK Parsauni , 15.vii.2022, Jeer Vinayaka ; 6♀♀, 3♂♂ INDIA, Uttarakhand, Dehradun , FRI, 22.viii.2019, David, K.J ; 1♀ same data as previous except date and collector 05.x.2011, Shakti Singh ; 1♀ INDIA, Karnataka, Bangalore, Hebbal , 30.vi.2016, Prabhu, G ; 1♀ INDIA, Karnataka, Bangalore , GKVK, 23.vii.2016, Prabhu, G ; 1♀ INDIA, Tripura, Agartala, Ishan Chandranagar , 16.vii.2011, L. Roni ; 1♀ same data as previous except date and collector 17.viii.2011, Shakti Singh ; 1♀ INDIA, Assam, Rani, Tatibama , 16.iii.2021, David, K.J. ( NIM) .

Diagnosis: It is very similar to A. incompleta by the presence of three prominent black markings on the scutellum and a continuous costal band from the pterostigma to the wing apex but can be distinguished by the subapical band fused to the costal band ( Fig. 19 ) and the blunt aculeus tip ( Fig. 26b ). In females, oviscape orange except apex narrowly brown, elongate (1.7 mm long), eversible membrane 2.2 mm long, with 15−20 finger-like projections ( Fig. 27b ) on distal end, 2 coiled black spermathecae ( Fig. 28b ), aculeus tip elongate (1.9 mm long) with blunt apex ( Fig. 26b ). Epandrium in male dark brown, lateral surstylus broad, fulvous, longer than epandrium, proctiger well developed, larger than epandrium densely covered with fine hairs ( Figs. 23b, 24b ). Phallus elongate (2.94 mm long) excluding glans ( Fig. 25b ) (0.39 mm long).

Figures

FIGURES 19−21. Habitus (dorsal view) of Acroceratitis. 19, A. ceratitina (Bezzi); 20, A. parastriata David & Hancock; 21, A. tomentosa Hardy.

FIGURES 23−25. Male postabdominal structures of Acroceratitis. 23, Epandrium and surstyli (lateral view). 24, Epandrium and surstyli (posterior view); 25, Glans of phallus (lateral view). a, A. bimacula; b, A. ceratitina; c, A. distincta; d, A. histrionica; e, A. separata; f, A. tomentosa.

FIGURES 26−28. Female postabdominal structures of Acroceratitis. 26, Aculeus tip; 27, spicules on distal end of eversible membrane; 28, spermatheca. a, A. bimacula; b, A. ceratitina; c, A. distincta; d, A. histrionica; e, A. separata; f, A. tenmalaica; g, A. tomentosa.