Description of immature forms of two Diadiplosis species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from the Neotropical Region with additional notes about adult morphology

Abstract

Diadiplosis is a genus of predatory midges for which the immature stages of most species lack detailed morphological information or remain undescribed. Diadiplosis coccidarum (Cockerell, 1892) and Diadiplosis coccidivora (Felt, 1911) are midges that prey on nymphs of several mealybugs and have been described based on male and female specimens. We describe and illustrate for the first time the third instar larva and pupa of D. coccidarum, collected preying on nymphs of Saccharicoccus sacchari (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Saccharum officinarum (Poaceae) in an agroecosystem from Colombia, and the pupa of D. coccidivora, collected preying on specimens of Coccus brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on fruits of Coffea canephora (Rubiaceae) in Brazil. In this study, we also provide new morphological data on the adults of D. coccidarum and D. coccidivora.