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

 

Ophiomyia ranunculicaulis Hering, 1949
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Ophiomyia ranunculicaulis Hering, 1949d. Notul. ent. 29: 22
Ophiomyia ranunculicaulis Hering, 1949d; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 24 (fig. 48-9), 27, 118
Ophiomyia ranunculicaulis Hering, 1949d; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 75-6, figs 98-100
Ophiomyia ranunculicaulis Hering, 1949d; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 21, 23, 24 (fig. 32).


Stem-mine: An external stem mine. Frass is deposited at wide intervals. Pupation in the mine (Spencer, 1972b: 27; Spencer, 1976: 76).

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.

Posterior spiracles each bearing numerous (up to 28) bulbs, on three arms (Spencer, 1976: 76 (fig. 100)).

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).

Black; posterior spiracles each bearing numerous (up to 28) bulbs, on three arms (Spencer, 1972b: 27).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Ranunculaceae        
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 118

Hosts elsewhere:

Ranunculaceae        
Ranunculus       Spencer, 1990: 21
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 76
Ranunculus lanuginosus     Spencer, 1976: 76
Ranunculus polyanthemos     Spencer, 1976: 76
Ranunculus ranunculi     Spencer, 1976: 76

Time of year - mines: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: June.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Uncommon. Wiltshire (Farley Down) and Dunbartonshire (Bonhill) (Spencer, 1972b: 27); Cambridgeshire, Glamorgan and South-west Yorkshire (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including France, Germany, Sweden (Spencer, 1976: 76), Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Ranunculus acris

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Chorebus bathyzonus (Marshall, 1895) Braconidae: Alysiinae


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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