Phytomyza medicaginis Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza medicaginis Hering, 1925
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza medicaginis Hering, 1925. Z. Morph. Okol. Tiere 4: 510.
Phytomyza symphyti Hendel, 1935. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 486. [Included as a synonym by Martinez in Fauna Europaea]
Phytomyza symphyti Hendel, 1935; Spencer, 1972. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 86 (fig. 294), 90, 109.
Phytomyza symphyti Hendel, 1935; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) :198, 199, 200 (figs 746-7).

Mine of Phytomyza medicaginis on Symphytum officinale. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Bladmineerders van Europa)

Mine of Phytomyza medicaginis on Symphytum officinale
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Leaf-mine: Mine initially linear, later developing into a whitish blotch, becoming blackish. Pupation in mine on lower surface.

The mine begins as an upper surface blotch in the centre of the leaf, from where corridors radiate, each with one larva. After a while these rays fuse, resulting in one large, brown, blotch. Frass in irregular strings. Pupation in principle outside the mine, exit slit in lower epidermis (always?). Often the puparium protrudes from the opening (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Larva: The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Puparium: Normally dark reddish-brown. The puparium is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Comments: Martinez (2004 in Fauna Europaea) included symphyti Hendel (1935) as a junior synonym of medicaginis Hering (1925).

Hosts in Britain:

Boraginaceae
Symphytum			Mines in BMNH
Symphytum			Robbins, 1991: 96
Symphytum	officinale	Common Comfrey	Spencer, 1972: 109
Symphytum	officinale	Common Comfrey	Bland, 1994c: 84

Hosts elsewhere:

Boraginaceae
Brunnera	macrophylla	Great Forget-me-not	Bladmineerders van Europa
Echium			Spencer, 1990: 199
Echium	vulgare	Viper's-bugloss	Bladmineerders van Europa
Lithospermum	officinale	Common Gromwell	Bladmineerders van Europa
Lithospermum	purpurocaeruleum	Purple Gromwell	Bladmineerders van Europa, as Buglossoides purpurocaerulea
Symphytum			Spencer, 1990: 198
Symphytum	asperum	Rough Comfrey	Bladmineerders van Europa
Symphytum	officinale	Common Comfrey	Bladmineerders van Europa
Symphytum	tuberosum	Tuberous Comfrey	Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: August, October.

Time of year - adults: September-October.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Local but widespread. Oxford (Oxford), Devon (Slapton), Huntingdonshire (Woodwalton Fen), Derby (Miller's Dale) (Spencer, 1972: 90), East Lothian (Longniddry) (Bland, 1994c: 84) and Warwickshire (Bedford) (Robbins, 1991: 96).

NBN Grid map:

No map

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe (Spencer, 1990: 198) including Belgium, Czech Republic, French mainland, Germany, Lithuania and Poland (Martinez in Fauna Europaea).

NBN interactive distribution map(s) of known host species in Great Britain and Ireland and elsewhere:

Brunnera macrophylla, Echium vulgare, Lithospermum officinale, Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum, Symphytum asperum, Symphytum officinale, Symphytum tuberosum

Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chrysocharis amyite (Walker, 1839)	Hymenoptera: Eulophidae
Chrysocharis orbicularis (Nees, 1834)	Hymenoptera: Eulophidae
Chrysocharis liriomyzae Delucchi, 1954	Hymenoptera: Eulophidae
Chrysocharis pubicornis (Zetterstedt, 1838)	Hymenoptera: Eulophidae
Miscogaster elegans Walker, 1833	Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae
Miscogaster maculata Walker, 1833	Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae
Miscogaster rufipes Walker, 1833	Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae


External links:	Search the internet:
Biodiversity Heritage Library Bladmineerders van Europa British leafminers Encyclopedia of Life Fauna Europaea [127878] NBN Gateway	Find using Google Find using Google Scholar Find images using Google


	Last updated 26-Jan-2012 Brian Pitkin