Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal & Spencer, 1978

Diptera, Agromyzidae

mine

Corridor, widening into a large blotch. Pupation external.

hostplants

Bignoniaceae, monophagous

Jacaranda mimosifolia.

distribution within Europe

Italy.

notes

Jacaranda is a tree, native to South America, with a very high ornamental value. For this reason the species is cultivated in all subtropical regions of the world. Ph. jacarandae is described from California, and known furthermore from South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The miner has been found on a few widely separated localities in Italy, and it may be expected that the species will soon show up also elsewhere in Mediterranean Europe. The damage suffered by the trees seems to be considerable.

references

Bella, Mazzeo & Süss (2007a).

12/07/2010