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

 

Phytomyza arnicae Hering, 1925
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Phytomyza arnicae Hering, 1925. Z. Morph. Okol. Tiere 4: 511
Phytomyza arnicae Hering, 1925; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5 (1): 384-5, fig. 670-1.
Phytomyza arnicae Hering, 1925; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 308, 309, 310 (fig. 1185).


Leaf-miner: Larva forming a short linear mine which develops into a large blotch (Spencer, 1976: 385 (fig. 671).

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.

Mandibles wth two teeth, only weakly alternating; no frontal appendage. Anterior spiracles with 10-13 bulbs, posterior spiacles with 15-20 bulbs, both in an irregular arc (de Meijere, 1928a, 1937a) (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).

Black; posterior spiracles each with an ellipse of 20 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 385).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland: Currently unknown.

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae        
Arnica       Spencer, 1990: 309
Arnica montana     Bladmineerders van Europa
Arnica montana     Spencer, 1976: 385

Time of year- larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Added to the British checklist by Henshaw in Chandler, 1998.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Sweden (Spencer, 1990: 308), Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Switzerland (Fauna Europaea).

Also recorded in Canada (Spencer, 1990: 308).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

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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