PIMPINELLA. Saxifrages. [Apiaceae]


Five species of Pimpinella are recorded in Britain. These include the native Greater Burnet-saxifrage (P. major) and Burnet-saxifrage (P. saxifraga).

Five Diptera miners, the agromyzids Phytomyza adjuncta, Phytomyza melana, Phytomyza pauliloewi and Phytomyza pimpinellae and the tephritid Euleia heraclei, are recorded on Pimpinella in Britain.

Elsewhere the agromyzids Chromatomyia horticola, Phytomyza adjuncta, Phytomyza heracleana, Phytomyza melana and Phytomyza pimpinellae and the tephritids Cryptaciura rotundiventris and Euleia heraclei are recorded mining Pimpinella.

The agromyzid Melanagromyza sativae bores the stems of Pimpinella and other Apiaceae in Britain and elsewhere.

One non-Diptera leaf-miner is recorded on Pimpinella in Britain (see below).

Elsewhere two additional British non-Diptera miner is recorded on Pimpinella (see below).




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




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 > Leaf-miner: A large blotch, yellow or brown, preceded by a short corridor that in the end mostly is completely overrun. Generally several larvae share a mine. Especially in fresh mines the green primary and secondary feeding lines are well visible. Pupation outside the mine. Puparium yellow.

On numerous genera of Apiaceae and possibly some Asteraceae in Britain and elsewhere. Throughout the British Isles. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and most of the Palaearctic region, as far east as Afghanistan.

Euleia heraclei (Linnaeus, 1758) [Diptera: Tephritidae].

1b > Leaf-miner: A small regular blotch, which can be enlarged when several larvae feed together. Puparium black

Possibly on Pimpinella in Britain. On Peucedanum and Pimpinella elsewhere. Possibly York, Berwicks and Warwick in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.

Phytomyza pauliloewi Hendel, 1920 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1b > Leaf-miner: A relatively short and broad upper surface linear-blotch mine. Puparium black

On Pimpinella in Britain and elsewhere. Probably widespread in Britain, at least in south. Widespread in continental Europe.

Phytomyza pimpinellae Hendel, 1924 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1c > Leaf-miner: A linear mine rigidly following the margin of the leaf segment. Puparium black and shining

On Pimpinella major and Pimpinella saxifraga in Britain and elsewhere. Possibly on Silaum silaus in Britain. Only recorded from Middlesex and Warwick in Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.

Phytomyza adjuncta Hering, 1928 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1d > Leaf-miner: A short linear mine which considerably widens towards the end, normally starting in the centre of the leaf. Puparium black

On Pastinaca sativa and Pimpinella saxifraga in Britain and elsewhere. Only recorded from Surrey, Warwick and Surrey in Britain and Austria, Germany, the [former] U.S.S.R and Poland in continental Europe.

Phytomyza melana Hendel, 1920 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].



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

 

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).

 

1a > 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, but not yet on Pimpinella, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species of several plant families, including Pimpinella, elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

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

 

1b > Leaf-miner: Young larvae make small, full depth blotch mines, almost without frass. Older larva live externally on the plant under a light web (Bladmineerders van Europa). Initially forms a small blotch mine and may later feed in a slight web. In coastal areas may continue mining throughout the larval stage (British leafminers).

 


Recorded on Daucus carota and Pimpinella saxifraga in Britain and Anthriscus caucalis, Athamanta cretensis, Daucus carota, Meum athamanticum, Pimpinella saxifraga, Thapsia villosa and Torilis arvensis subsp. neglecta elsewhere. East Cornwall, Isle of Wight and West Cornwall and Britain. Widespread in continental Europe.

Epermenia aequidentellus (Hofmann, 1867) [Lepidoptera: Epermeniidae]

 

1c > Leaf-miner: The larvae are often gregarious and feed on the underside of the leaf causing a 'windowing' effect as they eat the mesophyll and lower epidermis. This effect can be seen from the top of the leaf as it discolours (British leafminers). Short, small, irregular, sometimes widened corridor. Mostly a number in a leaf, concentrated in the axils of the midrib and the primary side veins. Each larva makes a number of mines. Often the larva protrudes with its rear end out of the mine, causing most frass to be ejected. While moving, at the leaf underside, silken threads are produced, in wich grains of frass may be trapped. Older larvae live free and cause window feeding, often in a group under a light spinning (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris, Daucus carota, Heracleum sphondylium and Heracleum sativa, but not yet on Pimpinella, in Britain and Aegopodium podagraria, Angelica archangelica subsp. litoralis, Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus caucalis, Anthriscus cerefolium, Anthriscus sylvestris, Apium graveolens, Berula erecta, Carum carvi, Chaerophyllum hirsutum, Chaerophyllum temulum, Cicuta virosa, Conium maculatum, Daucus carota, Heracleum sphondylium, Levisticum officinale, Oenanthe, Pastinaca sativa, Peucedanum, Pimpinella saxifraga, Seseli libanotis, Silaum, Sium latifolium, Sison amomum and Torilis elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Epermenia chaerophyllella (Goeze, 1783) [Lepidoptera: Epermeniidae]



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Last updated 07-Feb-2012  Brian Pitkin Top of page