Discovery of a new gall-inducing species, Aciurina luminaria (Insecta, Diptera, Tephritidae) via multi-trait integrative taxonomy

Integrative taxonomic practices that combine multiple lines of evidence for species delimitation greatly improve our understanding of intra- and inter-species variation and biodiversity. However, extended phenotypes remain underutilized despite their potential as a species-specific set of extracorporeal morphological and life history traits. Primarily relying on variations in wing patterns has caused taxonomic confusion in the genus <i>Aciurina</i>, which are gall-inducing flies on Asteraceae plants in western North America. However, species display distinct gall morphologies that can be crucial for species identification. Here we investigate a unique gall morphotype in New Mexico and Colorado that was previously described as a variant of that induced by <i>Aciurinabigeloviae</i> (Cockerell, 1890). Our analysis has discovered several consistent features that distinguish it from galls of <i>A.bigeloviae</i>. A comprehensive description of <i>Aciurinaluminaria</i> Baine, <b>sp. nov.</b> and its gall is provided through integrative taxonomic study of gall morphology, host plant ecology, wing morphometrics, and reduced-representation genome sequencing.