Phytomyza albiceps Meigen, 1830

mine

Very long, initially whitish, later brownish, upper-surface corridor, frequently starting near the leaf tip, often crossing itself. Frass in strikingly large black lumps, more widely spaced than their own diameter. Pupation outside the mine; exit slit in upper epidermis.

host plants

Asteraceae, narrowly monophagous

Cirsium arvense, helenioides.

The possible occurrence on Cirsium oleraceum merits a closer study.

phenology

Larvae in July, in only one generation (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (De Bruyn & von Tschirnhaus, 1991a).

NE not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2008).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2008).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia and Finland to the Iberian Peninsula, the Alps, and the Carpathians, and from the UK to Pland and Roumania (Fauna Europaea, 2008).

larva

There does exist a description of the larva (Kuroda, 1960a), but the larva is taken from Artemisia and probably belongs to Phytomyza artemisivora.

synonyms

Phytomyza flavoantennata Strobl, 1898; Ph. rydeniana Hering, 1949.

parasitoids, predators

Sphegigaster stepicola.

notes

In most literature, up to quite recently, albiceps is misinterepreted as what is known now as Phytomyza artemisivora Spencer, 1971. Kabos (1971a) and van Frankenhuyzen, Houtman & Kabos (1982a) list a large number of hostplants for albiceps, in the families Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae and Lamiaceae; obviously several species more are involved here.

references

Beiger (1960a, 1965a), Bouček (1965a), De Bruyn & von Tschirnhaus (1991a), Buhr (1941b, 1964a), Černý (2011a), Černý, Barták & Roháček (2004a), Černý & Vála (1999a), Drahia (1967a, 1971a), Dreger & Myssura (2005a), van Frankenhuyzen, Houtman & Kabos (1982a), Haase, (1942a), Hartig (1939a), Hering (1926b, 1934g, 1949c, 1955b, 1957a, 1967a), Huber (1969a), Kabos (1971a), Kuroda (1960a), Kvičala (1938a), Maček (1999a), Manning (1956a), de Meijere (1924a, 1926a), Nowakowski (1954a), Papp (2009a), Pârvu (2005a), Popescu-Gorj & Drăghia (1968a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a), Sønderup (1949a), Spencer (1953a, 1956a, 1971b, 1972a, 1976a), Starke (1942a), von Tschirnhaus (1999a), van der Wulp (1871a), Zlobin (1986b), Zoerner (1969a).