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 spoliata Strobl, 1906
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza spoliata Strobl, 1906. Mems R. Soc. esp. Hist. nat. 3(1905): 383
Phytomyza spoliata Strobl, 1906; Hendel, 1935. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 484
Phytomyza spoliata Strobl, 1906; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 504-6, figs 881-3
Phytomyza spoliata Strobl, 1906; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 251, 254 (figs 952-3), 255.

Leaf-mine: Strongly branched corridor mine which can become a secondary blotch. Frass in small grains. Pupation inside the mine (Spencer, 1976: 505 (fig. 883) or outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

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 (1937); posterior spiracles each with approx. 17 bulbs.

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 approx. 17 bulbs.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland: Currently unknown.

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae        
Centaurea       Spencer, 1976: 505
Centaurea calcitrapa Red Star-thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 505
Centaurea calcitrapa Red Star-thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Centaurea calcitrapa Red Star-thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 255
Centaurea haynaldii     Bladmineerders van Europa
Centaurea jacea Brown Knapweed   Bladmineerders van Europa
Centaurea pohrygia subsp. pseudophrygia     Bladmineerders van Europa
Centaurea sadleriana     Bladmineerders van Europa
? Cirsium heterophyllum Melancholy Thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 505

Time of year - larvae: April (Hering, 1957).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Recorded as new to Britain by McLean (1981); Anglesey,
Cambridgeshire and South-west Yorkshire (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Spain (Spencer, 1976: 505), Czech Republic, Estonia, European Turkey, French mainland, Italian mainland, Latvia and Lithuania (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Centaurea jacea, ? Cirsium heterophyllum

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
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