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

 

Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani, 1875)
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Chick pea leaf-miner


Agromyza cicerina Rondani, 1875. Bull. Soc. ent. ital. 7: 184
Agromyza cicerina Rondani, 1875; Hendel, 1931. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 212
Liriomyza trichophthalma Hendel, 1931. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 253. [Synonymised by Spencer, 1976: 240]
Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani, 1875); Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 52
Agromyza cicerina Rondani, 1875; Spencer, 1973a. Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Economic Importance. Series Ent. 9: 90
Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani, 1875); Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 240, figs 411-6.
Liriomyza cicerina (Rondani, 1875); Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g)112, 125, 131, 132 (figs 487-8), 133, 140.


Leaf-miner: An upper or lower surface shallow winding linear mine, which may develop into a secondary blotch. Pupation external (Spencer, 1976: 240).

Upper- or lower-surface, greenish or whitish corridor, sometimes a blotch. The corridor does not widen much and is not associated with the midrib. Frass in conspicuous thread fragments, alternating along the sides of the corridor. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

The mine is also illustrated in British Leafminers.

Larva: The larvae of flies are leg-less maggots without a head capsule (see examples). They never have thoracic or abdominal legs. They do not have chewing mouthparts, although they do have a characteristic cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton (see examples), usually visible internally through the body wall.

The larva is described by de Meijere (1925, as ononidis); posterior spiracles with 7-9 bulbs. The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Puparium: The puparia of flies are formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosing head appendages, wings and legs are not visible externally (see examples).

Orange; posterior spiracles each with 7-9 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 240). The puparium is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Liriomyza cicerina puparium,  dorsal
Liriomyza cicerina puparium, dorsal
Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Fabaceae        
? Melilotus       Robbins, 1983: 24
? Melilotus albus White Melilot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Robbins, 1991: 44
? Melilotus officinalis Ribbed Melilot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Robbins, 1991: 44
Ononis       Robbins, 1991: 44
Ononis arvensis     Mines in BMNH