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

 

MATTEUCCIA. Ostrich Feather or Shuttlecock Fern. [Onocleaceae]


Ostrich Feather Fern or Shuttlecock Fern (M. struthiopteris) is the only species of Matteuccia recorded in Britain. It is an introduced species.

Two British miners are recorded on Matteucia.

A key to the European miners recorded on Oniclea incuding Matteucia is provided in Bladmineerders van Europa.



Key for the identification of the known mines of British
insects (Diptera and non-Diptera) recorded on Matteucia


1# >Leaf / Stem-miner: In leaf stems and fronds (Ackland in Chandler, 1978: 227).

On ? Matteucia and ? Pteridium in Britain. Also on Athyrium elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe

Chirosia cinerosa (Zetterstedt, 1845) [Diptera: Anthomyiidae].

1a > Leaf-miner: Large full depth blotch, covering the entire distal part of a pinnula. The mine begins near the top, where an elliptic egg shell is attached to the underside of the rachis. Larva solitary. The mine contains much frass.

An upperside blotch at the tip of a pinna lobe.

On Pteridium and Dryopteris, but not yet on Matteucia, in Britain and continental Europe and additional other genera of ferns elsewhere. Widespread in Britain and continental Europe. Also recorded in East Palaearctic and Near East.

Chirosia histricina Rondani, 1866 [Diptera: Anthomyiidae].



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