Abstract
Here we report the larval phytophagous habit of Litoleptis for the first time, and describe six new species of Litoleptis in Japan; L. japonica n. sp., L. kiiensis n. sp., L. niyodoensis n. sp., L. himukaensis n. sp., L. izuensis n. sp., and L. asterellaphile n. sp. All the species described here are thallus-miners of liverworts belonging to Aytoniaceae and Conocephalaceae (Marchantiopsida: Marchantiophyta). Each fly species mined thalli of only one of the following genera: Conocephalum, Reboulia, and Asterella. The descriptions of the Japanese Litoleptis species here expand the concept of this genus. The female genital morphology of Litoleptis strengthened the current placement of Litoleptis as a member of Spaniinae.
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