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 sativae Spencer, 1957
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Melanagromyza sativae Spencer, 1957e. Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (B) 26: 180
Melanagromyza torilidis Spencer, 1957e. Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (B) 26: 182
Melanagromyza sativae Spencer, 1957e; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. X 5(g): 16 (fig. 21), 19, 120, 121
Melanagromyza sativae Spencer, 1957e; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 160, 163, 177.


Stem-borer: Pupation internal.

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 described by Dempewolf (2001: 91).

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 processes black, separated by own diameter, each with an ellipse of 14 (or slightly fewer) bulbs around the central horn (Spencer, 1972b: 16 (fig. 21), 19).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Apiaceae        
Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 120
Pastinaca sativa Wild Parsnip British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
Pimpinella major Greater Burnet-saxifrage British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1972b: 121
Torilis       Spencer, 1972b: 121

Hosts elsewhere:

Apiaceae        
Diactamus albus     Dempewolf, 2001: 91
Pastinaca sativa Wild Parsnip British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 160
Pimpinella       Spencer, 1990: 160
Torilis japonica Upright Hedge-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1990: 160

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Local. Surrey (Betchworth, Bookham) and Suffolk (Newmarket) (Spencer, 1972b: 19).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania and Slovakia (Martinez, 200 in Fauna Europaea).

Also recorded in Northern Iran (Spencer, 1990: 163).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Angelica sylvestris, Diactamus albus, Pastinaca sativa, Pimpinella major, Torilis japonica

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea   

Sphegigaster intersita Graham, 1969

Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae
Sphegigaster nigricornis (Nees, 1834) 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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