https://www.mapress.com/zt <p><strong>Zootaxa</strong> is a mega-journal for zoological taxonomists in the world</p> Magnolia Press en-US Zootaxa 1175-5326 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5798.1.1 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The <em>Liriomyza blechi </em>group is redefined and revised. Twenty-seven species are recognized, 16 of which are described here as new: <em>L. biloba</em> Lonsdale &amp; Eiseman, <em>L. borboros</em> Lonsdale, <em>L. furvunca</em> Lonsdale, <em>L. halomma</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. hyalina</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. orta</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. paspali</em> Lonsdale &amp; Eiseman,<em> L. platypeos</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. pons</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. quadraticaia</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. samara</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. sphaericaia</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. strigiformis</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. telistyla</em> Lonsdale,<em> L. trispicula</em> Lonsdale and<em> L. zophodes</em> Lonsdale. Most species occur in the Neotropics, with a minority extending into, or restricted to the temperate regions of North and South America. All species are (re)described, and a key, illustrations and photographs are provided. Host usage is still largely unknown, with rearing records available for a minority of species. <em>Liriomyza avicenniae</em> is strictly monophagous, known from a single host species (<em>Avicennia germinans</em> (L.) L.). Aside from <em>L. philadelphivora</em> on <em>Philadelphus</em> species (Hydrangeaceae), those taxa for which data are available occur on the dicot Order Lamiales and/or the subfamily Panicoideae (Poaceae). Rearing data are relatively abundant for several species that feed on both of these distant lineages of monocots and dicots in a form of disjunctive oligophagy, indicating a novel pattern of agromyzid host usage that might be more widespread within the group. The Japanese <em>L. philadelphi</em> Sasakawa is discussed. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> OWEN LONSDALE Copyright (c) 2026 2026-04-23 2026-04-23 5798 1 1 67 10.11646/zootaxa.5798.1.1