Plant Parasites of Europe

leafminers, galls and fungi

Dicladispa testacea

Dicladispa testacea (Linnaeus, 1767)

rockrose prickly leaf beetle

on Cistus

Dicladispa testacea on Cistus salviifolius

Cistus salviifolius, France, dép. Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Corrèze, 10.v.2023 © Laurent Chabrol

Dicladispa testacea: mine on Cistus spec.

Cistus spec., Cyprus, Oreites Forest © Ian Barton

Dicladispa testacea mine

Cistus salviifolius, Cyprus, Kato Platres

Dicladispa testacea mine

light from behind

mine

The female bites a hole on the underside of a leaf, then deposits an (rarely two) egg and covers it with frass. The larva makes an irregular upper-surface blotch. Pupation in a new mine that as a broad corridor overlies the midrib (upper picture).

host plants

Cistaceae, monophagous

Cistus albidus, creticus & subsp. eriocephalus, crispus, x florentinus, ladanifer, laurifolius, x laxus, monspeliensis. x obtusifolius. psilosepalus, salviifolius, symphytifolius.

phenology

Larvae and pupae found end May (Cyprus).

BENELUX

Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Mediterranean (Fauna Europaea, 2009); also Switzerland (Germann & Moretti (2006a).

larva

pupa

synonyms

Hispa testacea; Dicladispa occator (Brullé, 1838).

references

d’Alessandro & Biondi (2011a), Amerio, Baldizzone & Picco (1993a), Amsel & Hering (1930a, 1931a, 1933a), Bahillo de la Puebla & Román (2009a), Baselga & Novoa (2002b), Buhr (1930a), García-Ocejo, Gurrea & Petitpierre (1992a), Germann & Moretti (2006a), Grandi (1935a), Gruev (2005a), Hering (1927a, 1930a, 1932e, 1936b, 1957a, 1967a), Jolivet (1953a), Konoplin, Barclay, Hall, ao (2022a), Murria Beltrán (2008b), Petitpierre (2009a), Petitpierre, Sacarés & Jurado-Rivera (2017a), Steinhausen (1994a), Świętojańska, Borowiec & Stach (2014a), Ugarte San Vicente (2005a), Vela, Bastazo & Fritzlar (2017a), Warchalowski (2000a).

Last modified 23.v.2023