Phytomyza rhodiolae Griffiths, 1976

Diptera, Agromyzidae

mine

Long gallery that winds freely through the leaf, sometimes crossing itself and sometimes forming a secondary blotch (also because more than one mine may be present in a leaf). Frass in discrete grains. Mines mainly in the younger leaves. Pupation sometimes outside the mine, but often the puparium just protrudes from the exit slit (that may be either upper-surface or lower-surface); also some puparia are formed well within the mine.

hostplants

Crassulaceae, monophagous

Rhodiola rosea.

phenology

Larvae in June – July.

distribution within Europe

Scotland, Norway (Bland, 1995a).

larva

Mandibles with two teeth, alternating. Anterior spiracula bifid, with 12-15 papillae. Posterior spiracula each one a high conical base, deeply forked with two unusually long arns with, in total, 19-24 papillae.

puparium

Dark brown, shining, rear spiraculum forming a deep fork.

notes

In step with its hostplant a mountain species.

references

Bland (1995a), Griffiths (1976a).

22/07/2010