Contarinia

Contarinia is a genus of midges, small flies in the family Cecidomyiidae.

Description

As cecidomyiids, adult Contarinia are flies with hairy wings and long antennae. Males have antennal flagellomeres equally binodose, with each node surrounded by one circumfilum. The palpi are four-segmented. The tarsal claws of the legs are simple. The wing costal vein is interrupted after its union with the radius or third vein.^[1]

Ecology

Many species of Contarinia have herbivorous larvae that attack inflorescences, fruits, or buds of plants.^[1] They include a number of crop pests, such as C. nasturtii (attacks various parts of cruciferous plants),^[2] C. citri (attacks flowers of citrus),^[3] C. pisi (attacks flower buds of legumes),^[4] C. caryafloralis (attacks inflorescences of Chinese hickory)^[5] and C. pruniflorum (attacks flower buds of stone fruits).^[6]

Two species of Contarinia are the main insects to visit inflorescences of Artocarpus integer (and possibly other plants). They are attracted by "a fruit-like, somewhat unpleasant smell" produced by the inflorescences. The adult midges feed on mycelia of Choanephora fungus (thus they are fungivorous, not herbivorous), which infects the male inflorescences, and females also oviposit in male inflorescences. Midge larvae hatch from the eggs, develop while also feeding on the fungus, pupate and then emerge from male inflorescences. Female inflorescences are not infected by the fungus and so cannot be used by the midges to breed, but they still attract Contarinia midges. The midges are known to carry pollen, so they are believed to pollinate A. integer - a pollination mutualism mediated by a pathogenic fungus.^[7]

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Contarinia:^[8][9]

References