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

 

Melanagromyza oligophaga Spencer, 1990
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Melanagromyza oligophaga Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in World Agromyzidae : 394
Melanagromyza dettmeri Hering, 1933; Spencer, 1966a. Beitr. Ent. 16: 3-60. [Misidentification, in part]
Melanagromyza dettmeri Hering, 1933; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. X 5(g): 16 (fig. 20), 19, 111, 112. [Misidentification].


Stem borer: Larva an internal stem-borer. Pupation internal (Spencer, 1972b: 19).

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.

Puparium: The puparia of flies are 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).

Posterior spiracular plates adjoining, each with a regular ellipse of 15 bulbs around a strong central horn (Spencer, 1972b: 19).

Adult: The adult and a recorded parasitoids are illustrated by Vikberg & Malinenin, 2012. Sahlbergia 18.2: 17-23

Comments: Spencer (1966a: 21) and Spencer (1972b: 16, 19, 111, 112) misidentifed British specimens of oligophaga as dettmeri, which is only known from Denmark (Spencer, 1990: 394).

The adults are virtually indistinguishable from M. dettmeri (known only on Centaurea jacea from Denmark) with the following essential characters: frons not projecting above eye, orbital setulae in 2 rows, those nearest eye margin reclinate, inner row proclinate; eye with distinct pilosity in both male and female; mesonotum normally faintly greenish; squamae pale, margin pale brown, fringe whitish to ochrous; wing length normally about 3 mm (Spencer, 1990: 394).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Asteraceae        
Achillea millefolium Yarrow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 111
Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 111
Centaurea scabiosa Greater Knapweed British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 112
Hieracium umbellatum Umbellate Hawkweed   Spencer, 1972b: 113
Senecio erucifolius Hoary Ragwort British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 114
Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 114

Hosts elsewhere:

Asteraceae        
Achillea millefolium Yarrow British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 301
Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 301
Crepis biennis Rough Hawks-beard British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 259
Hieracium umbellatum Umbellate Hawkweed   Spencer, 1990: 259
Picris hieracioides Hawkweed Oxtongue British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 259

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: May. Overwinters as puparium.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Surrey (Banstead, Betchworth and Walton Heath); Middlesex (Scratch Wood), Cambridgeshire (Chippenham Fen), Derby (Miller's Dale), Denbighshire (Wrexham) and Perthshire (Killin) (Spencer, 1972b: 19 (as dettmeri, see also Spencer, 1990: 394).

Distribution elsewhere: Holland, Germany (Spencer, 1990: 394), Belarus, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Achillea millefolium, Centaurea scabiosa, Crepis biennis, Hieracium umbellatum, Picris hieracioides, Senecio erucifolius, Senecio jacobaea

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea  
Chlorocytus spicatus (Walker, 1835) Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae


External links: Search the internet:
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
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