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 thysselini Hendel, 1923
[Diptera: Agromyzidae]


Phytomyza thysselini Hendel, 1923a. Dt. ent. Z. 1923: 394
Phytomyza carvifoliae Hendel, 1924. Konowia 3: 144
Phytomyza thysselini Hendel, 1923a; Hendel, 1935. Fliegen palaearkt. Reg. 6(2): 490
Phytomyza carvifoliae Hendel, 1924; Spencer, 1971b. Beitr. Ent. 21: 262
Phytomyza thysselini Hendel, 1923a; Spencer, 1976. Fauna ent. Scand. 5(1): 517, fig. 904
Phytomyza thysselini Hendel, 1923a; Spencer, 1990. Host specialization in the World Agromyzidae (Diptera) : 160, 175, 176 (fig. 660).


Leaf-miner: A narrow linear mine which can develop into a secondary blotch (Spencer, 1976: 517).

Upper-surface mine in the tip of a leaf segment in primary corridor, but quickly turning into secondary blotch within the limited space of the leaf segment. The mine begins in the very tip of the segment, this initial section later becomes unrecognisable. Frass in fine granules. Pupation outside the mine (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 described by de Meijere (1926). Posterior spiracles each with approx. 22 bulbs.

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 some 22 bulbs (Spencer, 1976: 517).

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Apiaceae        
Peucedanum palustre Milk-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Irwin in Chandler, 1985: 103

Hosts elsewhere:

Apiaceae        
Peucedanum       Spencer, 1990: 160
Peucedanum palustre Milk-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Spencer, 1976: 517
Peucedanum palustre Milk-parsley British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Selinum carvifolia Cambridge Milk-parsley   Spencer, 1976: 517
Selinum carvifolia Cambridge Milk-parsley   Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - mines: June-July and August-September (Hering, 1957).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Recorded as new to Britain by Irwin (1985: 103). Known from Cambridgeshire and East Norfolk (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden (Spencer, 1976: 517), The Netherlands (Bladmineerders van Europa), Hungary and Lithuania (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Peucedanum palustre (= Thyselium palustre), Selinum carvifolia

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Chalcidoidea   
Chrysocharis liriomyzae Delucchi, 1954 Eulophidae: Entedoninae
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Exotela cyclogaster Förster, 1862 Braconidae: Alysiinae
Opius pallipes 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
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