Abai, MR

6th International Congress of DipterologyDiscovery of the South American Rice Miner inSoutheastern United States (Diptera: Ephydridae)Mathis, W.N. (1), B.A. Castro (2), M.O. Way (3) & T. Zatwarnicki (4)(1) Department of Entomology, NHB 169, PO BOX 37012; Smithsonian Institution,Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, USA(2) Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, BatonRouge, Louisiana 70803, USA(3) Department of Entomology, Texas A & M University, Agricultural Research andExtension Center, Beaumont, Texas, 77713, USA(4) Department of Biosystematics, University of Opole, ul. Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole,Poland; email: zatwar@uni.opole.pl.The South American Rice Miner (Hydrellia wirthi Korytkowski), arecently discovered, invasive pest in rice, is reported from southeasternUnited States (Louisiana and Texas). A detailed description and diagnosiswith illustrations and photographs are provided to facilitate identificationof this pest, along with descriptions of its damage as a miner in rice whorls,stems, and leaves. The localities where this invasive species has beenfound in surveys in Louisiana and Texas are provided.Key Words: Hydrellia wirthi Korytkowski, shore flies, invasive species∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗159