Acroceratitis Hendel, 1913

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 : 85-86

Genus Acroceratitis Hendel

Acroceratitis Hendel, 1913: 82 .

Type species Acroceratitis plumosa Hendel , by original designation.

Stictaspis Bezzi, 1913: 102 .

Type species Stictaspis ceratitina Bezzi , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Fruit flies of genus Acroceratitis are characterized by the presence of a dorsoapically pointed first flagellomere with plumose arista, head higher than long, wings with yellow to brown bands with orange-yellow or yellow patches, sometimes apically diffuse, and with the transverse band from pterostigma enclosing r-m crossvein, one apical spine on midtibia, male with enlarged abdominal tergite 2, female with two spermathecae comprised of tightly set coils ( Hancock & Drew, 1999). Additionally, the proctiger in males is 2−3 times larger than the epandrium and densely covered with fine hairs, which can be considered a synapomorphy for the genus.

Key to species of genus Acroceratitis Hendel

1. Wing with costal band interrupted in cell r 1 at apex of cell sc by a complete transverse hyaline band across wing ( Fig. 21 ).. 2

- Wing with costal band entire or interrupted well beyond apex of cell sc ( Figs. 1, 2 , 17 , 18)........................... 3

2. Scutellum predominantly black with yellow spots at bases of basal and apical scutellar setae; mid and hind femora fulvous ( Fig. 21 ).................................................................................. A. tomentosa Hardy

- Scutellum predominantly black with yellow spots only at bases of basal scutellar setae; mid and hind femora dark fuscous ( David et al., 2014; fig. 21)........................................................... A. histrionica (Meijere)

3. Wing with costal band extending from cell sc to wing apex, cell r 1 without a medial hyaline patch; postpronotal lobe often with a large black spot; abdomen without paired submedial spots on tergites 3−5 ( Figs. 1, 2 ).............................. 4

- Wing cell r 1 with a medial hyaline patch and pattern often apically diffuse; postpronotal lobe without a large black spot; abdomen with paired submedial spots on tergites 3−5 ( Figs 17 , 18)............................................. 13

4. Scutellum with three black patches separated by yellow lines ( Fig. 19 )............................................ 5

- Scutellum black apically with or without yellow spots but without yellow longitudinal lines ( Figs. 6 , 20 ).................9

5. Scutum predominantly fulvous without black or brown markings except for black posterolateral spots ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 10)........................................................................ A. septemmaculata Hardy

- Scutum brown with prominent postsutural lateral vittae and presutural yellow markings.............................. 6

6. Medial black spot on scutellum broad, reaching the base of scutum ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 1).... A. bilineata (Meijere)

- Medial black spot on scutellum as high as or slightly higher than as lateral spots but not reaching the scutum............. 7

7. Subapical band along dm-cu crossvein fused with costal band ( Fig. 19 ); postpronotal black spot large.... A. ceratitina (Bezzi)

- Subapical band along dm-cu crossvein separate and not fused with costal band ( David et al., 2020; fig. 16); postpronotal black spot small or absent................................................................................... 8

8. Abdominal tergite 3 black or brown; postpronotal lobe with a small ventral spot ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 11)............................................................................................. A. siamensis Munro

- Abdominal tergite 3 fulvous; postpronotal lobe without spot ( David et al., 2020; figs. 13, 15).......... A. incompleta Hardy

9. Postpronotal lobe yellow without black spot; abdominal tergite 3 entirely blackish brown ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 13) (males unknown)............................................................ A. tenmalaica Hancock & Drew

- Postpronotal lobe yellow with a large black spot ( Figs. 2 , 3 ); abdominal tergite 3 fulvous or blackish brown..............10

10. Abdominal tergite 3 fulvous ( Figs. 1, 2 )...................................................................11

- Abdominal tergite 3 black/ brown ( Fig. 20 )................................................................ 12

11. Scutellum black without yellow spots at bases of apical scutellar setae; abdominal tergite 3 yellow/fulvous; oviscape as long as or slightly longer than abdomen ( Figs. 1, 2 )............................. A. sachini David, Hancock & Noor , sp. nov.

- Scutellum black with two yellow spots at bases of apical scutellar setae ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 12); oviscape shorter than abdomen............................................................................. A. striata (Froggatt)

12. Oviscape short (0.85 mm); wing with subapical and posterior apical bands fused ( David et al., 2014; figs. 16, 17) (males unknown)........................................................... A. breviscapa David, Ramani & Hancock

- Oviscape longer (1.47 mm); wing with subapical and posterior apical bands not fused ( Fig. 20 ).................................................................................................. A. parastriata David & Hancock

13. Scutellum predominantly yellow without any black markings; all femora black; face black ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 8).................................................................................... A. nigrifacies Meijere

- Scutellum yellow with three apical black markings ( Figs. 17 , 18, 22); femora fulvous or mid and hind femur with black markings; face fulvous.................................................................................14

14. Wing with transverse hyaline band complete, apical area without diffused pattern ( Fig. 22 ).......................... 15

- Wing with transverse hyaline band interrupted, broken into a series of spots; apical area with diffused pattern............17

15. Scutum predominantly reddish brown, with reduced black area except for a medial longitudinal band; fore and mid femora predominantly fulvous, mid femur with ventral preapical spot ( Fig. 22 )........................... A. separata (Bezzi)

- Scutum with extensive black area; mid and hind femora with extensive fuscous markings........................... 16

16. Scutellum with medial spot larger than lateral ones; mid and hind femora black ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 9)............................................................................................... A. plumosa Hendel

- Scutellum with medial spot not larger than lateral ones; mid and hind femora with fuscous markings, not black ( Hancock & Drew, 1999; fig. 5)................................................................ A. hardyi Hancock & Drew

17. Aculeus apically rounded ( Fig. 26c ), glans of phallus with well developed sclerotisation ( Fig. 25c )........ A. distincta (Zia)

- Aculeus apically acute ( Fig. 26a ), glans of phallus weakly sclerotised ( Fig. 25a )...................... A. bimacula Hardy

Figures

FIGURE 17. Acroceratitis bimacula Hardy. a, habitus (dorsal) female; b, wing. FIGURE 18. Acroceratitis distincta Zia. a, habitus (dorsal) female; b, wing.

FIGURE 22. Acroceratitis separata (Bezzi). a. habitus (dorsal view); b, habitus (lateral view).

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

FIGURES 1−2. Acroceratitis sachini David, Hancock & Noor, sp.nov., 1. habitus (dorsal) female; 2, habitus (dorsal) male.

FIGURES 5−9. Acroceratitis sachini David, Hancock & Noor, sp.nov., 5, head; 6, thorax (dorsal view); 7, thorax (lateral view) and legs; 8, abdomen; 9, wing.

FIGURES 3−4. Acroceratitis sachini David, Hancock & Noor, sp. nov., 3, habitus (lateral) female; 4, habitus (lateral) male.

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.

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.