Phytomyza anemones [Diptera: Agromyzidae] in Leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects

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 anemones Hering, 1925
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]

Phytomyza anemones Hering, 1925. Z. Morph. Okol. Tiere 4: 507
Phytomyza anemones Hering, 1925; Hendel, 1934. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 343
Phytomyza anemones Hering, 1925; Spencer, 1972b. Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g): 70 (fig. 225)Handbk ident. Br. Ins. 10(5g), 73, 118, fig. 225
Phytomyza anemones Hering, 1925; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 373-4, fig. 652.
Phytomyza anemones Hering, 1925; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 21, 27, 28 (figs 52-3).

Leaf-miner: Mine linear but normally developing into secondary blotch, feeding confined to apex of a leaf segment (Spencer, 1972b: 70 (fig. 225); Spencer, 1976: 374, 375 (fig. 652)). Pupation normally external, but Lundquist (1947) records that 8 of 10 larvae pupariumted in the mine in Sweden.

The mine is also dexcribed and illustrated in British leafminers.

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.

Described by Hering (1967a, as clematobia); mandible two-teethed alternating; anterior spiracles fist-shaped with 9 bulbs, posterior spiracles with 13 bulbs, arranged in a horse shoe (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).

Reddish-brown; posterior spiracular processes extended, each with up to 18 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 374).

Reddish-brown, with the rear spiracula conspicuously elongated (depicted in Hering, 1925b and de Meijere, 1937a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Ranunculaceae
Anemone			Spencer, 1972b: 73
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	British leafminers
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	Mines in BMNH
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	Spencer, 1972b: 118

Hosts elsewhere:

Ranunculaceae
Anemone			Spencer, 1990: 21
Anemone	coronaria	Poppy Anemone	Bladmineerders van Europa
Anemone	coronaria	Poppy Anemone	Mines in BMNH
Anemone	hortensis		Bladmineerders van Europa
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	Bladmineerders van Europa
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	Spencer, 1976: 374
Anemone	nemorosa	Wood Anemone	Spencer, 1990: 27
Clematis	flammula	Virgin's-bower	Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: May.

Time of year - adults: April. A single generation.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Sussex (Chailey), Gloucestershire (Gloucester - mines) (Spencer, 1972b: 73); Easterness and North-east Yorkshire (NBN Atlas). Also Flatropers Wood, Beckley, East Sussex (British leafminers).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Denmark, Finland, Sweden (Spencer, 1976: 374), Germany, Italy (Bladmineerders van Europa), Lithuania, Malta and Yugoslavia (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Anemone coronaria, Anemone nemorosa

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 Find images using Google


	Last updated 10-Jul-2019 Brian Pitkin