Lathyrus [Fabaceae]

LATHYRUS. Peas and Vetchlings. [Fabaceae]

Thirty species of Lathyrus are recorded in Britain. These include the native species Grass Vetchling (L. nissolia), Sea Pea (L. japonicus), Bitter-vetch (L. linifolius), Marsh Pea (L. palustris), Meadow Vetchling (L. pratensis), Yellow Vetchling (L. aphaca) and Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea (L. sylvestris) and the introduced Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea (L. latifolius) and Black Pea (L. niger).

Marsh Pea (L. palustris) is protected in Northern Ireland under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order, 1985.

Six Diptera miners, the agromyzids Agromyza lathyri, Agromyza varicornis, Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza congesta, Liriomyza pisivora and Ophiomyia orbiculata, are recorded on Lathyrus in Britain.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Agromyza lathyri, Agromyza varicornis, Chromatomyia horticola, Liriomyza bryoniae, Liriomyza congesta, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Liriomyza sativae, Liromyza strigata, Liriomyza trifolii and Phytoliriomyza variegata are recorded mining Lathyrus.

Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea
Lathyrus latifolius

Four non-Diptera mines, are recorded on Lathyrus in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere two additional British non-Diptera miners are recorded on Lathyrus (see below).

The tortricid Ancylis paludana is recorded spinning leaves of Lathyrus.

Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Lathyrus

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).

1a > Stem or root miner

1b > Leaf miner

2a > Stem or root miner: Pupation in the stem, near or even below ground level. Puparium reddish brown, anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis.

On Lathyrus, Pisum and Vicia in Britain and Lathyrus and Pisum elsewhere. Widespread in the south of Britain. Widespread in much of Europe.

Ophiomyia orbiculata (Hendel, 1931) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2b> Stem miner: A long white mine mainly in the winged stem, frequently starting in leaf.

Mine of Agromyza varicornis on Lathyrus latifolius
Image: Colin Plant (British leafminers)

On Lathyrus latifolius and Lathyrus sylvestris in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Agromyza varicornis Strobl, 1898 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

3a > Leaf miner: Initially a lower-surface linear mine, which later develops into large whitish blotch which appears like a pale mottled area from above, due to variable depth of feeding through to upper surface. Less frequently feeding in upper surface or stem. Puparium reddish

Part of mine of Agromyza lathyri on Pisum sativum
Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

On Lathyrus grandiflorus, Lathyrus latifolius, Lathyrus rotundifolius, Lathyrus tuberosus and Pisum sativum in Britain and additional species and genera of Fabaceae elsewhere. Widespread in southern England - Kent, Surrey, Warwick and Cambridge and Widespread in continental Europe.

Agromyza lathyri Hendel, 1923 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

3b > Leaf-miner: Mine linear, whitish, both upper and lower surface. Pupation internal, at the end of the mine with the anterior spiracles projecting through the epidermis (Spencer, 1976: 433). Upper-surface, less often lower-surface corridor. Frass in isolated grains. Pupation within the mine, in a, usually lower-surface, pupal chamber (Bladmineerders van Europa). A long whitish upper surface corridor, which eventually goes lower surface (British leafminers).

Two highly polyphagous species of Chromatomyia, with indistinguishable mines, have been recorded in Britain. These are syngenesiae (Hardy) and horticola (Goureau) which can only be distinguished by the male genitalia. Both are polyphagous and widespread in Britain and elsewhere, although syngenesiae is almost entirely restricted to Asteraceae (see also 'atricornis').

Chromatomyia horticola (Goureau, 1851) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].
OR
Chromatomyia syngenesiae Hardy, 1849 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

3c > Leaf miner: An upper surface linear mine with frass in conspicuous greenish strips, largely alternating at each side of the channel. Puparium yellow

On numerous genera of Fabaceae, including Lathyrus, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and widespread and common throughout most of Europe.

Liriomyza congesta (Becker, 1903) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

3d > Leaf miner: A long linear mine, normally starting on lower surface, frass in black strips alternately at sides of mine.

On Lathryus, Pisum and Vicia in Britain and Lathryus and Pisum elsewhere. Only known from Kent, Surrey, Herts and Warwick in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe .

Liriomyza pisivora Hering, 1957 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

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

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: The first generation initially forms an unmistakable leaf-mine on Anthyllis vulneraria, but the second generation feeds on the flowers. Feeding signs on other plants vary in appearance. Larvae can move between sewn leaves, and more than one larva may be found together (UKMoths). Larvae in a small full depth blotch, often with extensions. Frass concentrated in one corner of the mine. The mining activities may cause the leaf to roll inwards. Older larvae live free among spun leaves, but still they may make then full depth mines by feeding on the leaf tissue from a small opening (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Anthyllis, Medicago, Onobrychis, Ononis and Trifolium, but not yet on Lathyrus, in Britain and Anthyllis, Chamaecytisus, Coronilla, Cysisus, Dorycnium, Galega, Glycine, Hymenocarpus, Lathyrus , Lotus, Medicago, Melilotus, Onobrychis, Ononis, Ornithopus, Oxytropis, Phaseolus, Psoralea, Trifolium, Trigonella and Vicia elsewhere. Britain including the Channel Is. and Northern Ireland. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Aproaerema anthyllidella (Hübner, 1813) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae]

1b > Leaf-miner: In the first instar the larva mines the leaves, forming short, irregular, blotch-like mines, but in later instars it lives externally, feeding in spun leaves and often twisting those of tender shoots. Larval head light-brown or yellowish brown, edged with black postero-laterally, ocellar area blackish; prothoracic plate black edged with whitish anteriorly; abdomen dull dark green; pinacula distinct, black, sometimes brownish but with black bases to setae; anal plate large, black (Bradley et al., 1973). Small, full depth mine without a definite shape; little frass. Some silk is deposited in the mine. The larva soon leaves the mine and continues feeding among spun leaves (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species of several plant families, including Lathyrus, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

Cnephasia incertana (Treitschke, 1835) [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae].

1c > Leaf-miner: A blotch mine is formed with a small area of browning of the leaf around the egg (British leafminers). Flat, upper-surface, oval blotch without a preceding gallery, with clear amounts of greenish frass. Sometimes more than one mine in a leaflet, that can merge. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Vicia, but not yet on Lathyrus, in Britain and Lathyrus and Vicia elsewhere. Britain (Karsholt and van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea) including Dorset.

Cosmopterix schmidiella Frey, 1856 [Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae].

1d > Leaf-miner: A blotch mine is formed with a small area of browning of the leaf around the egg (British leafminers). Flat, upper-surface, oval blotch without a preceding gallery, with clear amounts of greenish frass. Sometimes more than one mine in a leaflet, that can merge. Pupation outside the mine (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Lathyrus in Britain and elsewhere. Isle of Wight and South Devon. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in northwest continental Europe.

Leucoptera lathyrifoliella (Stainton, 1866) [Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae].

1e > Leaf-miner: Lower surface tentiform mine that occupies only part of a leaflet. In full grown leaves the mine is strongly inflated and is largely hidden by the leaf. Unlike other species the entire leaflet is not mined out (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Ononis and Trifoliumin Britain, but not yet on Lathyrus, in Britain and Lathyrus, Medicago, Ononis, Trifolium and Vicia elsewhere. North Ebudes. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland. Widespread in continental Europe.

Phyllonorycter insignitella (Zeller, 1846) [Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae].

1f > Leaf-miner: The mine is underside, occupying the whole leaflet, which turns down at edges (British leafminers). Lower surface tentiform mine that occupies an entire leaflet; lower epidermis strongly folded. Fully developed mines are strongly inflated and the leaflet is so completely folded over the mine that the latter becomes practically invisible. In this stage the larva has consumed also all tissue in the roof of the mine, making the mine very conspicuous (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Lathyrus, Medicago, Trifolium and Vicia in Britain and Lathyrus, Lotus, Medicago, Trifolium and Vicia elsewhere. England, Ireland and continental Europe.

Phyllonorycter nigrescentella (Logan, 1851) [Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae].


	Last updated 05-Feb-2012 Brian Pitkin