Phytomyza nigritula [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

Phytomyza nigritula Zetterstedt, 1838
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza nigritula Zetterstedt, 1838. Insecta Lapponica: 793
Phytomyza cineracea Hendel, 1920. Arch. Naturgesch. 84A(7) (1918): 166
Phytomyza cineracea Hendel, 1920; Hendel, 1935. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 376
Phytomyza nigrigenis Hering, 1937b. Mitt. dt. ent. Ges. 8(6-7): 76. [Synonymised by Spencer, 1976: 341]
Phytomyza cineracea Hendel, 1920; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 71, 81, 95
Napomyza nigritula (Zetterstedt, 1828); Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 341-3, figs 622-3.
Napomyza nigritula (Zetterstedt, 1828); Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 21, 38, 39 (fig. 129), 50
Phytomyza nigritula Zetterstedt, 1838; Zlobin, 1994. Dipterological Research 5: PAGE.

Stem-borer: Larva feeding as internal stem-borer (Spencer, 1972b: 95, as Phytomyza cineracea).

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).

Elongate, slightly tapering, pale brown; posterior spiracles scarcely raised, each with an ellipse of 16-25 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 342).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus			Pitkin & Plant, as Napomyza
Ranunculus	acris	Meadow Buttercup	Spencer, 1972b: 118, as cineracea
Ranunculus	lanuginosus	Wooly Buttercup	Spencer, 1972b: 119, as cineracea
Ranunculus	repens	Creeping Buttercup	Spencer, 1972b: 119, as cineracea

Hosts elsewhere:

Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus			Spencer, 1976: 342
Ranunculus			Spencer, 1990: 21
Ranunculus	flammula	Lesser Spearwort	Spencer, 1976: 342

Time of year - mines: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Widespread. Berkshire (Newbury), Wiltshire (Gastard), Lincoln (Crowland), Inverness (Aviemore) and Perth (Fontingall) (Spencer, 1972b: 91, as cineracea); East Suffolk (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Iceland (Spencer, 1976: 342), Germany (Spencer, 1976: 566), Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Switzerland (Fauna Europaea).

Also recorded in Canada (Spencer, 1976: 342).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus flammula, Ranunculus repens

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea
Pachyneuron muscarum (Linnaeus, 1758)	Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae
Stenomalina gracilis (Walker, 1834)	Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available
Opius pendulus Haliday, 1837	Braconidae: Opiinae


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 10-Jul-2019 Brian Pitkin