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 rapunculi Hendel, 1927
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Phytomyza rapunculi Hendel, 1927a. Zool. Anz. 69: 265
Phytomyza rapunculi Hendel, 1927a; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 231, 232 (figs 874-5), 400.


Leaf-mine: Very long, rather deep corridor, initially lower-surface, later upper-surface. In smaller leaves almost always a secondary blotch originates, that can occupy the entire leaf. Frass initially in pearl strings, later in scattered aggregations. Pupation outside the mine; exit slit in upper 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.

Yellowish. Mandibles with 2 teeth, alternating. Both anterior and posterior spiracles two-horned, with 12-19 and 18-24 bulbs, respectively (Beiger, 1972a; Spencer, 1971a).

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, smooth, without intersegmental depressions.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland: Currently unknown.

Hosts elsewhere:

Campanulaceae        
Campanula       Spencer, 1990: 231
Campanula alpina     Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula cochlearifolia     Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula glomerata Clustered Bellflower British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula persicifolia Peach-leaved Bellflower British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula polymorpha     Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula rapunculoides Creeping Bellflower British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula rotundifolia subsp. polymorpha     Bladmineerders van Europa
Campanula scheuchzeri subsp. kerneri     Bladmineerders van Europa
Phyteuma       Spencer, 1990: 231
Phyteuma orbiculare Round-headed Rampion British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Phyteuma spicatum Spiked Rampion   Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Added to the British checklist by Henshaw in Chandler, 1998; North Somerset (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including the Bavarian Alps, the Polish Tartra Mountains and central Sweden (Spencer, 1990: 231), Austria, Germany and Poland (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Campanula rapunculoides, Phyteuma orbiculare, Phyteuma spicatum

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.



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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