Liriomyza richteri [Diptera: Agromyzidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects

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 richteri Hering, 1927
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Liriomyza richteri Hering, 1927b. Dt. ent. Z. 1927(2): 157
Liriomyza pedestris Hendel, 1931. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 243 [Synonymised by von Tschirnhaus, 1980]
Liriomyza pedestris Hendel, 1931; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 49 (figs 153A-154), 52, 123.
Liriomyza pedestris Hendel, 1931; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 260, figs 460-462.
Liriomyza richteri Hering, 1927b; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 268-9, figs 477-8
Liriomyza richteri Hering, 1927b; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 268-9
Liriomyza pedestris Hendel, 1931; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 354, 373, 374 (fig. 1406).

Leaf-miner: Details unknown.

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.

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).

Reddish; posterior spiracles each with 3 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 260, as pedestris).

Comments: Spencer (1976) treated pedestris (p. 260) on Deschampsia flexuosa and richteri (p. 268-9) on grasses as distinct species. Subsequently von Tschirnhaus (1980) synonymised the two species.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Poaceae
Deschampsia	flexuosa	Wavy Hair-grass		Spencer, 1972b: 123, as pedestris

Hosts elsewhere:

Poaceae
Deschampsia	flexuosa	Wavy Hair-grass	Bladmineerders van Europa
Deschampsia	flexuosa	Wavy Hair-grass	Spencer, 1976: 260, as pedestris

Time of year - mines: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Uncommon. Devon (Dartmoor), Dorset (Portland) and Oxfordshire (Oxford) (Spencer, 1972b: 52); Breconshire, Cambridgeshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, East Kent, Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Pembrokeshire, South-west Yorkshire and West Sussex (NBN Atlas).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread throughout much of Europe including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, N. Russia and Iceland (Spencer, 1976: 260, as pedestris; Spencer, 1976: 268-9, as richteri), Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Poland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).

Also common in the Mediterranean area and North Africa (Spencer, 1976: 260, as pedestris; Spencer, 1976: 268-9, as richteri).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Deschampsia flexuosa

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	Find using Google Find using Google Scholar Find images using Google


	Last updated 07-Sep-2017 Brian Pitkin