Ophiomyia
melandricaulis Hering, 1943
[Diptera:
Agromyzidae]
Ophiomyia
melandricaulis Hering, 1943. EOS 19: 55
Ophiomyia melandricaulis Hering, 1943; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk
ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 26 (figs 56-7), 29, 110
Ophiomyia melandricaulis Hering, 1943; Spencer, 1990. Host
specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 63. 69,
229, 233.
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Stem-mine:
A shallow external stem-mine (Spencer, 1972b: 29).
The
mine generally starts as a fine, lower-surface, corridor the seems
to end upon a thick vein. In reality the corridor continues by way
of the petiole to the stem, where a very long mine is formed in
the rind. Frass in widely spaced grains. Pupation within the mine,
mostly just above a node; the anterior spiracles penetrate the epidermis
(Bladmineerders van Europa).
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.
The larva is briefly described by de Meijere (1943).
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).
Pale brown; posterior spiracles each with 8-11 bulbs (Spencer, 1972b: 29).
Comments:
Lychnis flos-cuculi is treated
as Silene flos-cuculi (Ragged-Robin)
by Stace (2010).
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts elsewhere:
Time
of year - mines:
September (Hering, 1957).
Time
of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Local. Huntingdonshire (Woodwalton Fen),
Monmouthshire (Gower Peninsula) (Spencer, 1972b: 29) and Warwickshire (The Bogs and Bedworth) (Robbins,
1991: 34). South-west Yorkshire (NBN Atlas) Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including The Netherlands (Bladmineerders van Europa), Czech Republic, French mainland, Germany, Lithuania,
Poland, Slovakia and Spanish mainland (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.
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