The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects
 

(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)

by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds

 

Zeugophora flavicollis (Marsham, 1802)
[Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae]


Auchenia flavicollis Marsham, 1802
Zeugophora flavicollis
(Marsham, 1802).


Leaf-miner: All western European Zeugophora make large, blackish brown, upper-surface blotch. Oviposition at the leaf underside, in a small pit, that is covered by secretion. These oviposition marks remain visible as small, transparent points.

Larva: The larvae of beetles have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles and lack abdominal legs (see examples).

The larvae of Zeugophora species are yellow and flattened. They live communal, and leave the mine through an upper-surface exit slit (see Bladmineerders van Europa).

Four Zeugophora species are known from Europe: flavicollis, scutellaris, subspinosa and turneri. (The Fauna Europaea (2007) mentions a fifth species, Z. frontalis, but there is wide consensus that this is but a colour form of scutellaris). The four remaining species make large, blackish-brown upper-surface blotches. The eggs are deposited at the leaf underside; they are inserted in a small pit, that is covered by secretion (Urban, 1922a). This oviposition site remains visible as a transparant spot in the mine, often near its border. The larva is yellow, flattened, and legless. They live in a small group in the mine, vacating the mine before pupation through an upper-surface exit slit. See Warchalowski (2003a) for a key to beetles of Z. flavicollis, scutellaris, subspinosa and turneri. Only shortly ago I discovered the key to the Zeugophora species of North America and Europe by Jong Eun Lee (1998a). Unfortunately, Jong Eun Lee has not taken Z. turneri into account. Quite confusing however is that he states that the mandibles of the other three European species have mandibles with 2 teeth, while both Steinhausen (1994a) and Urban (1922a) write that flavicollis has 3 mandibular teeth. Also an illustration of the larva of Z. scutellaris in Lawson (1991a) shows three, equal sized, teeth (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Pupa: The pupae of beetles have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

Adult: The adult is illustrated in the Encyclopedia of Life.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Salicaceae        
Populus tremula Aspen British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Pitkin & Plant

Hosts elsewhere:

Salicaceae        
Populus balsamifera Eastern Balsam-poplar   Bladmineerders van Europa
Populus x canadensis Hybrid Black-poplar British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Populus x canescens     Bladmineerders van Europa
Populus nigra Black-poplar British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Populus tremula Aspen British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix alba White Willow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix euxina or x fragilis Crack-willow or Hybrid Crack-willow   Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix caprea Goat Willow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix myrsinifolia Dark-leaved Willow   Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix pentandra Bay Willow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Salix triandra Almond Willow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Widespread in England including Bedfordshire, East Kent, East Suffolk, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, North Essex, North Hampshire, South Essex, South Hampshire, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Kent and Westmorland (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Europe including French mainland, Italian mainland Spanish mainland (Audisio in Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Populus balsamifera, Populus x canadensis, Populus x canescens, Populus nigra, Populus tremula, Salix alba, Salix alba x fragilis, Salix caprea, Salix myrsinifolia, Salix pentandra, Salix triandra

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.



External links: Search the internet:

Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist

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