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

  

Phytomyza cirsii Hendel, 1923
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza cirsii Hendel, 1923a. Dt. ent. Z. 1923(4):390
Phytomyza cirsicola Hendel, 1927a. Zool. Anz. 69: 258
Phytomyza cirsii Hendel, 1923a; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 71, 72 (fig. 233A), 77, 79, 112
Phytomyza cirsii Hendel, 1923a; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 404-5, figs 647B, 707.
Phytomyza cirsii Hendel, 1923a; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 251, 255, 256 (fig. 957), 259.

Leaf-miner: A shallow, upper surface, whitish linear mine. Pupation external (Spencer, 1972b: 72 (fig. 233A), 77).

Tortuous, upper-surface corridor, often somewhat geryish, and/or following the leaf margin. Frass grains fairly small, separated by about their own diameter. Primary feeding lines often conspicuous. Pupation outside the mine; exit slit in upper epidermis (Bladmineerders van Europa).

A long whitish upper surface mine. The frass grains are small and can occur close together (British leafminers).

Mine of Phytomyza cirsii on Cirsium arvense. Image: Willem Ellis (Source: Bladmineerders van Europa)
Mine of Phytomyza cirsii on Cirsium arvense
Image: © Willem Ellis (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 illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Phytomyza cirsii larva, lateral
Phytomyza cirsii larva, lateral
Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

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 with an ellipse of up to 26 minute bulbs (Spencer, 1972b: 77).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Asteraceae        
Cirsium       Robbins, 1991: 121
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Mines in BMNH
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Robbins, 1983: 25
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 112
Cirsium arvense Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Centaurea scabiosa

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Dacnusa maculipes Thomson, 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		 Find using Google
Find using Google Scholar
 		 Robbins, 1991: 64
Chaerophyllum temulum Rough Chervil British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Mines in BMNH
Chaerophyllum temulum Rough Chervil British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
Conopodium       Mines in BMNH
Conopodium majus Pignut British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. British leafminers
Conopodium majus Pignut British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
Daucus       Robbins, 1991: 68
Daucus carota Carrot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Mines in BMNH
Daucus carota Carrot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Robbins, 1989: 24
Daucus carota Carrot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
? Sison amomum Stone Parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
? Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Robbins, 1991: 64

Hosts elsewhere:

Apiaceae        
Aegopodium       Bladmineerders van Europa
Anthriscus       Spencer, 1990: 159
Anthriscus caucalis Bur Chervil British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al.

Bladmineerders van Europa, as Anthriscus neglecta
Anthriscus cerefolium Garden Chervil   Bladmineerders van Europa
Anthriscus nemorosa     Bladmineerders van Europa
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 401
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Bifora       Bladmineerders van Europa
Bifora       Spencer, 1990: 159
Bifora       Bladmineerders van Europa
? Carum       Spencer, 1976: 401
Carum       Spencer, 1990: 159
Carum carvi Caraway British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Chaerophyllum       Spencer, 1976: 401
Chaerophyllum       Spencer, 1990: 159
Chaerophyllum aromaticum Broad-leaved Chervil   Bladmineerders van Europa
Chaerophyllum aureum Golden Chervil   Bladmineerders van Europa
Chaerophyllum bulbosum     Bladmineerders van Europa
Chaerophyllum hirsutum Hairy Chervil   Bladmineerders van Europa
Chaerophyllum temulum Rough Chervil British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Conium       Spencer, 1990: 159
Conium maculatum Hemlock British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 401
Conium maculatum Hemlock   Bladmineerders van Europa
Conopodium       Spencer, 1990: 159
Conopodium majus Pignut British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Conopodium majus Pignut British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 401
? Daucus       Spencer, 1976: 401
Daucus       Spencer, 1990: 160
Daucus carota Carrot British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Myrrhis odorata Sweet Cicely British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Oenanthe aquatica Fine-leaved Water-dropwort British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Orlaya       Spencer, 1990: 159
Orlaya grandiflora Large-flowered Orlaya   Bladmineerders van Europa
Selinum       Spencer, 1990: 160
? Sison       Spencer, 1976: 401
Sison       Spencer, 1990: 160
Sison amomum Stone Parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
? Torilis       Spencer, 1976: 401
Torilis       Spencer, 1990: 160
Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: April-July, November. First generation mines normally in April, but larvae can be found feeding throughout the winter.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Common and widespread throughout Britain (Spencer, 1972b: 92) including Warwickshire (Coventry) (Robbins, 1991: 64) and Inner Hebrides (Isle of Coll) (Bland, 1992); Cambridgeshire, Cumberland, Denbighshire, East Gloucestershire, East Suffolk, Easterness, Leicestershire, Main Argyll, Mid-west Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, South Lancashire, South-east Yorkshire, South-west Yorkshire and Surrey (NBN Atlas).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea) and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread and common throughout much of Europe including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Denmark (Spencer, 1976: 401), The Netherlands, Luxembourg (Bladmineerders van Europa), Belgium (de Bruyn and von Tschirnhaus, 1991), Germany (Spencer, 1976: 570), Austria, ? Corsica, Czech Republic, European Turkey, French mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sardinia, Sicily, Sweden and Switzerland (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus caucalis, Anthriscus cerefolium, Chaerophyllum aureum, Chaerophyllum hirsutum, Chaerophyllum temulum, Conium maculatum, Conopodium majus, Daucus carota, Myrrhis odorata, Oenanthe aquatica, Orlaya grandiflora, Sison amomum, Torilis japonica

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea   
Chrysocharis liriomyzae Delucchi, 1954 Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis orbicularis (Nees, 1834) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis pallipes (Nees, 1834) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis pentheus (Walker, 1839) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis pubicornis (Zetterstedt, 1838) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Chrysocharis viridis (Nees, 1934) Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Cirrospilus vittatus Walker, 1838 Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Diglyphus chabrias (Walker, 1838) Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Diglyphus isaea (Walker, 1838) Eulophidae: Eulophinae
Miscogaster maculata Walker, 1833 Pteromalidae: Miscogastrinae
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Coloneura stylata Förster, 1862 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Dacnusa laevipectus Thomson, 1895 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Dacnusa maculipes Thomson, 1895 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Exotela cyclogaster Förster, 1862 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Colastes braconius Haliday, 1833 Braconidae: Exothecinae
Atormus victus (Haliday, 1837) Braconidae: Opiinae
Opius singularis Wesmael, 1835 Braconidae: Opiinae

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

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