Agromyza graminicola Hendel, 1931

mine

Eggs are deposited singly, near the leaf margin, at some distance from the leaf tip. From this point an upper-surface corridor-blotch develops. Initially a narrow corridor ascends towards the tip; after some time the direction switches and the mine, now widening quickly, descends towards the leaf base. Frass in two rows. Puparium within the mine.

According to Dempewolf (2004a) only the male genitalia enable a reliable discrimination from A. albipennis and A. ngiripes.

hostplants

Poaceae, narrowly oligophagous

Arundo donax; Phragmites australis.

phenology

Larvae in June and August (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Scheirs, De Bruyn & von Tschirnhaus, 1995a).

NE not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2007).

distribution within Europe

From Sweden and the UK to the Baltic States and Hungary; also Spain, Cyprus and northern Africa (Černý & Merz, 2006a; Fauna Europaea, 2007).

larva

Mandible with 2 teeth. Rear spiracula separated by about three times their diameter (Griffiths, 1963a).

notes

End October 2005 some mines were found in the Netherlands (“het Zwanewater”) that probably belong to this species. Because the mines only contained puparia a definite identification was not possible.

A. graminicola belongs to the A. nigripes species group of Griffiths (1963a).

references

Černý (2009a), Černý & Merz (2006a), Černý & Vála (2006a), Černý, Vála & Barták (2001a), Ci̇velek, Çikman & Dursun (2008a), Civelek, Tonguc, Ozgul & Dursun (2007a), Cole (1998a), Dempewolf (2004a), Gil Ortiz (2009a), Hering (1936b, 1957a), Maček (1999a), Nartshuk (2011a), Pakalniškis (1986a), Papp & Černý (2015a), Spencer (1957f, 1976a), von Tschirnhaus (1999a).