Knautia [Dipsacaceae]

KNAUTIA. Field Scabious. [Dipsacaceae]

Two species of Knautia are recorded in Britain, including the native Field Scabious (K. arvensis).

Five Diptera miners, the agromyzids Agromyza dipsaci, Aulagromyza similis, Chromatomyia ramosa, Chromatomyia scabiosae and Chromatomyia succisae are recorded on Dipsacaceae in Britain.

Two of these, Agromyza dipsaci and Chromatomyia ramosa, are recorded on Dipsacus, three of these, Aulagromyza similis, Chromatomyia ramosa and Chromatomyia succisae, are recorded on Succisa and Knautia, and one of these, Chromatomyia scabiosae, is recorded on Scabiosa.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Aulagromyza similis, Chromatomyia horticola,, Chromatomyia ramosa, Chromatomyia succisae and Liriomyza strigata are recorded mining Knautia.

Elsewhere the agromyzid Ophiomyia longolingua is recorded as a stem-miner on Knautia.

No non-Diptera miners are recorded on Knautia in Britain.

Elsewhere one British non-Diptera miner, Trachys troglodytes, is recorded on Knautia (see below).

Field Scabious
Knautia arvensis

Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Dipsacus, Knautia, Scabiosa and Succisa

Note: Diptera larvae may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, or a blotch mine, but never in a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Pupation never in a cocoon. All mining Diptera larvae 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 larvae lie on their sides within the mine and use their pick-like mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. In some corridor miners frass may lie in two rows on alternate sides of the mine. In order to vacate the mine the fully grown larva cuts an exit slit, which is usually semi-circular (see Liriomyza huidobrensis video). The pupa is 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).

1# > Details unknown.

On Succisa pratensis, but not yet on Dipsacus, Knautia or Scabiosa in Britain. Distribution in Britain unknown. Added to British checklist by Henshaw in Chandler, 1998. Widespread in continental Europe.

Phytomyza nigritella Zetterstedt, 1848 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1a > Larvae feeding primarily along mid-rib, forming short lateral mines into the leaf blade. Pupation within the mid-rib. Puparium white. On Knautia, Dipsacus and Succisa

On Dipsacus, Knautia and Succisa, but not yet on Scabiosa, in Britain. Also Scabiosa elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Chromatomyia ramosa (Hendel, 1923) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1b > Larva feeding mainly in leaf-blade.

2a > A funnel-shaped blotch mine at margin of leaf.

On Dipsacus, but not yet on Knautia, Scabiosa and Succisa in Britain. Uncommon in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.

Agromyza dipsaci Hendel, 1927 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2b > Mine linear and winding in upper surface. Pupation in the mine. Puparium white, grey or shining black.

On Scabiosa columbaria, but not yet on Dipsacus, Knautia or Succisa, in Britain. Only recorded from Surrey in Britain and Northern Germany, Poland and Spanish mainland in continental Europe.

Chromatomyia scabiosae (Hendel, 1935) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2c > A narrow winding linear mine generally near the apex of the leaf which assumes a striking purplish colour, making the mine itself difficult to detect. Mines have also been found in the sepals. Pupation takes place in a pupal cradle on the lower surface. Puparium white.

On Succisa pratensis, but not yet on Dipsacus, Knautia or Scabiosa, in Britain. On Dipsacus, Knautia, Scabiosa and Succisa elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Chromatomyia succisae (Hering, 1922) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2d > A long, whitish linear-blotch mine, frequently associated with the mid-rib. Puparium reddish.

On Knautia and possibly Succisa, but not yet on Dipsacus or Scabiosa, in Britain. On Centaurea, Knautia and Succisa elsewhere. Widespread in southern Britain and much of Europe. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland.

Aulagromyza similis (Brischke, 1880) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

Key for the identification of the mines of British
non-Diptera recorded on Knautia

Note: The larvae of mining Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera may live in a corridor mine, a corridor-blotch mine, a blotch mine, a case, a rolled or folded leaf, a tentiform mine or sandwiched between two more or less circular leaf sections in later instars. Larva may pupate in a silk cocoon. The larva may have at least six legs (although they may be reduced or absent), a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding). Larvae of Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera usually also have abdominal legs (see examples). Frass, if present, never in two rows. Unless feeding externally from within a case the larva usually vacates the mine by chewing an exit hole. Pupa with visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

1 > Leaf-miner: Full depth, transparent blotch. Oviposition site, at the leaf upper surface, covered by a brownish black drop of hardened secretion. Frass in granules or thread fragments. Larva without abdominal legs. Pupation in the mine, not in a cocoon (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Succisa, but not yet on Knautia, in Britain and Knautia, Scabiosa and Succisa elsewhere. Widespread in England, Wales and continental Europe.

Trachys troglodytes Gyllenhal, 1817 [Coleoptera: Buprestidae]


	Last updated 01-Feb-2012 Brian Pitkin