Phytomyza rhodopaea Beiger, 1979

Diptera, Agromyzidae

mine

“Larva forming an upper surface blotch-mine with fine herring-bone pattern [secondary feeding lines?], placed on the top part of the leaf-blade. The mine is greenish with darker grains and strips of frass. Pupation externally.”

hostplants

Boraginaceae, monophagous

Symphytum ottomanum.

phenology

Larvae in the second half of May.

BENELUX

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

distribution within Europe

Bulgaria (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

Mandible two-teethed, alternating. Front spiraculumn two-horned with 8 papillae; rear spiraculum weakly bifid, with 13 papillen. Below the mandibles a small field with fine chitinous spinulation.

notes

Based on the spiracula the species seems to be close to Ph. lithospermi. However, the description of rhodopaea is incomplete for two points used by Beiger (1975a) in her analysis of the group: no reference is made to the eventual presence of a dorsal hump on the mesothorax, neither is is stated explicitely that the larva is solitary. At this moment the hostplant seems to be the best holdfast to identify the species. Also the spinulose field below the mandibles may be relevant; about its presence in lithospermi nothing is said in the original description by Nowakowski.

references

Beiger (1979a,c), Spencer (1990a).

10.iii.2009