Phytomyza sitchensis Griffiths, 1973
Diptera, Agromyzidae
mine
Large, upper-surface blotch of unchanging depth, occuying a large section of a leaf segment. Frass in scattered grains. Secundary feeding lines not recognisable. Pupation outside the mine.
hostplants
Apiaceae, monophagous ?
See the notes, below.
BENELUX
Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2008).
distribution within Europe
Britain, Germany (Fauna Europaea, 2008).
notes
The species was described by Griffiths (1973b) from Arctic Canada after material from Canada taken from Conioselinum chinense, a Nearctic plant species. Later adult speciments of Ph, sitchensis have been discovered in the mountains of southern Germany and the UK. However, the plant genus Conioselinum does not occur in either region. De Meijere (1937a) described a larva, taken in Leningrad from Conioselium tataricum and Hering (1957a) decribed its mine. Conceivably, this is the larva of Griffiths’s sitchensis. However, from none of three Conioselinum species known to Griffiths a larva is known that matches de Meijere’s description!
The European records of Ph. sitchensis have also been associated with Ph. virosae Pakalniškis.
In the Flora Europaea the genus Conioselinum is placed between Levisticum and Angelica. Inasmuch this my be seen as an indication of relationship, it provides a clue to a possible western European hostplant.
references
Hering (1957a), de Meijere (1937a), Spencer (1990a), von Tschirnhaus (1999a).
8.v.2010