Teucrium [Lamiaceae]

TEUCRIUM. Germanders. [Lamiaceae]

Eight species of Teucrium are recorded in Britain. These include the native Cut-leaved Germander (T. botrys), Water Germander (T. scordium), Wood Sage (T. scorodonia) and Wall Germander (T. chamaedrys).

Cut-leaved Germander (T. botrys) and Water Germander (T. scordium) are protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

Only one Diptera miner, the agromyzid Amauromyza labiatarum, is recorded on Teucrium in Britain.

Elsewhere the polyphagous agromyzids Amauromyza labiatarum, Chromatomyia horticola and Liriomyza strigata are recorded mining Teucrium.

One non-Diptera miner is recorded on Teucrium in Britain.

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

The tortricid Cnephasia conspersana is recorded as a seed / shoot-feeder on Teucrium in Britain

Key for the identification of the mines of British Diptera recorded on
Ballota, Betonica, Lamiastrum, Stachys and Teucrium

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 miner: A shallow, inconspicuous external stem mine. Pupation in stem near a node. Puparium whitish-grey

On Clinopodium, Galeopsis, Lamium, and Stachys in Britain and Calamintha, Galeopsis, Lamium, Nepeta, Prunella, Satureja and Stachys elsewhere. Widespread in Britain including Surrey, Oxford, Hunts, Warwick, Suffolk and Perth. Widespread in continental Europe. Also recorded from the East Palaearctic.

Ophiomyia labiatarum Hering, 1937 [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

1b > Leaf mine.

2a > An initially linear mine, which at second instar develops into a large whitish blotch with conspicuous black frass. The early linear mine is frequently entirely enveloped by the blotch but is detectable by the alternate irregular strips of frass. Pupation external. Puparium reddish brown.

On Ajuga, Ballota, Lamium, Marrubium and Stachys in Britain and additional Lamiaceae elsewhere. In southern England and Europe.

Amauromyza morionella (Zetterstedt, 1848) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

2b > A linear-blotch mine, first instar mine is linear, later developing into a conspicuous white blotch. Frass greenish diffused.

On numerous genera of Lamiaceae in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread and locally common in south of England. Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and widespread and frequently common in continental Europe.

Amauromyza labiatarum (Hendel, 1920) [Diptera: Agromyzidae].

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

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 > Rather long corridor winding through the leaf, regularly crossing itself. The corridor later widens considerably. Frass normally in a narrow central line, but may also lie along the side, or be absent. The larva regularly leaves a mine and restarts elsewhere (Bladmineerders van Europa). Larva without abdominal legs.

Recorded on Lamiastrum galeobdolon and Lamium album, but not yet on Teucrium, in Britain plus Ajuga reptans, Clinopodium vulgare, Lamium, Prunella, Stachys, Teucrium, Plantago major, Veronica, chamaedrys and Veronica longifolia elsewhere. Widespread in England and continental Europe.

Apteropeda globosa (Illiger, 1794) [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae]

1b > Rather long full depth corridor that winds freely through the leaf and may cross itself. In the end the corridor widens considerably. Frass mostly in a narrow central line, but may also be deposited along the sides or be missing. The larvae regular leave a mine to restart elsewhere. Pupation outside the mine. Neither larva or mine can be distinguished from that of related species (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Recorded on numerous genera and species in several plant families, including Teucrium, in Britain and elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe.

Apteropeda orbiculata (Marsham, 1802) [Coleopterea: Chrysomelidae]

1c > 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 Teucrium, in Britain. Recorded on numerous genera and species of several plant families, including Teucrium, elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded from the Channel Is.

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


	Last updated 02-Feb-2012 Brian Pitkin