Phytomyza virgaureae [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 virgaureae Hering, 1826
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza virgaureae Hering, 1926c. Z. Morph. ökol. Tiere 5(3): 458
Phytomyza virgaureae Hering, 1926c; Hendel, 1935. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 495
Phytomyza umensis Rydén, 1949. Opusc. ent. 14: 87. [Synonymised by Spencer, 1976: 534]
Phytomyza virgaureae Hering, 1926c; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 80, 115
Phytomyza virgaureae Hering, 1926c; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 524-5, fig. 918
Phytomyza virgaureae Hering, 1926c; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 274, 283, 284 (fig. 1087).

Leaf-miner: A whitish linear mine, with frass predominantly in separate grains, rather than connected strips (Spencer, 1976: 525).

Initially narrow, gradually and weakly widening corridor of about 10-12 cm. The mine is upper-surface, pale green. Feeding lines not conspicuous. Frass in separate grains or short pearl chains. Pupation outside the mine, exit slit in lower epidermis (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 Dempewolf (2001: 198). See also de Meijere (1937a), Beiger (1960) and Griffiths (1976c). Anterior spiraculum with 11-12 papillae, posterior with c. 14 papillae in an irregular curve (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Puparium: The puparia of flies are formed within the hardened last larval skin or puparium and as a result sheaths enclosingl." title="Images of host in British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al." width="15" height="12" border="1" />

Spencer, 1972b: 120

Rhinanthus

minor subsp. calcareus

Spencer, 1972b: 120

Hosts elsewhere:

Scrophulariaceae
Rhinanthus				Spencer, 1976: 524
Rhinanthus				Spencer, 1990: 222

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: July-August.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Cambridge (Wicken Fen), Suffolk (Barton Mills), Is. of Lewis (Spencer, 1972b: 75), Inner Hebrides (Isle of Coll) (Bland, 1992); Cambridgeshire, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, North Somerset, South-west Yorkshire and West Suffolk (NBN Atlas).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland: Co. Clare (the Burren), nr. Dublin (Spencer, 1972b: 75).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Is., Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Sweden, The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea) and Iceland (Spencer, 1976: 524).

Also known from Canada (Nova Scotia) (Spencer, 1976: 524).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Rhinanthus minor

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea
Seladerma geniculatum (Zetterstedt, 1838)	Pteromalidae: Miscogastrinae


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 21-Jun-2017 Brian Pitkin