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Zonosemata macgregori Hernández-Ortiz

Dorsal habitus, female.

Recognition
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In general, Z. macgregori has the most extensive dark brown markings of any species of Zonosemata, although it sometimes cannot be separated from Z. vittigera by body color pattern alone (see Comments). Both of these species have a large dark brown spot on the katepisternum and large presutural brown markings on the scutum. A katepisternal spot occurs in some Z. scutellata, Z. vidrapennis (present in Central American specimens), and Z. minuta (present but very small in the known specimens), and rarely in Z. electa. A sublateral presutural scutal brown spot is present only in Z. minuta (although it is sometimes just a linear mark) and some Z. scutellata. The former species differs from Z. macgregori and Z. vittigera in abdominal markings, and the latter species in wing pattern (see key). In Z. macgregori, the submedial stripe is usually dark brown anterior to the suture, whereas it is usually orange in Z. vittigera, although there is overlap in this character. The width of the apical band (cell r2+3 apical to subapical band entirely infuscated or nearly so) distinguishes Z. macgregori from Z. vittigera. The orbital plates are moderate to dark brown, sometimes connected by a band across the vertex, whereas the top of the head is usually entirely yellow except for the ocellar tubercle in Z. vittigera.

Classification and Evolutionary Relationships
Order: Diptera. Family: Tephritidae. Subfamily: Trypetinae. Genus: Zonosemata. Species: macgregori. Author: Hernández-Ortiz.
Relationships among the species of Zonosemata have not been analyzed. Zonosemata macgregori is probably most closely related to Zonosemata vittigera (Coquillett), which it closely resembles.

Names Used for this Species
Zonosemata macgregori Hernández-Ortiz 1989: 206.
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Type data
Holotype - Male (UNAM), Mexico: Baja California Sur: 49 km. NW of Santa Rosalia, 8 Oct 1978, Dozier & Westcott.

Distribution
Zonosemata macgregori is known only from Mexico (Baja California Norte, northern Baja California Sur, and Sonora).
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Biology
No host plants are known for Z. macgregori, but other species of Zonosemata breed in fruits of species of Solanaceae, and mainly of the genus Solanum (Smith & Bush 1999).

Economic Significance
Zonosemata macgregori is not considered a pest species.

Comments
Norrbom (2002) reported some intergradation in the scutal color patterns of Z. macgregori and Z. vittigera. The submedial band is partly to mostly orange anterior to the transverse suture in 2 of 5 specimens of Z. macgregori he examined, and in some specimens of Z. vittigera from Mexico it is partially or entirely red-brown or dark brown. Whether the submedial stripe and presutural lateral spot are connected (considered a diagnostic character for Z. macgregori by Hernández-Ortiz) varies in both species, although the connection is orange if present in Z. vittigera, whereas it may be brown in Z. macgregori. The difference in the width of the wing bands, especially the apical band, seems consistent, although this was based on a rather small sample of Z. macgregori. Study of larger samples of specimens or analysis using other methods would be useful to confirm that these populations are not conspecific with those of Z. vittigera. Discovery of their host plant would also be helpful in this regard. Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav., the only known host plant of Z. vittigera, occurs in Sonora and at least the extreme north of Baja California Norte (Wiggins 1980).

References
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Hernández-Ortiz, V. 1989. Una especie nueva de Zonosemata (Díptera: Tephritidae) y clave de identificación de las especies del género. Anales del Instituto de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Serie Zoologia 60: 205-210. [p. 206, description, in key]
Norrbom, A. L. 2002. A new species and key for the genus Zonosemata Benjamin (Diptera: Tephritidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 104: 614-623. [p. 620, Sonora, in key]
Norrbom, A. L., L. E. Carroll, F. C. Thompson, I. M. White & A. Freidberg. 1999. Systematic database of names, pp. 65-251. In F. C. Thompson (ed.), Fruit Fly Expert Identification System and Systematic Information Database. Myia 9, vii + 524 pp. & Diptera Data Dissemination Disk (CD-ROM) (1998) 1. [p. 249, in catalog]