Lasioptera donacis Coutin & Faivre-Amiot, 1981

on Arundo

Arundo donax, France, Camargue, ii.2021 © Sébastien Carbonnelle

detail

larva with spatula

the tiny emergence openings

gall

orange-brown larvae live communally in galleries filled with a brown mycelium in the leaf sheaths. Pupation in the gall, in a silken cocoon. After emergence of the adult midges, the exuvia remain protruding from the exit openings.

hostplants

Poaceae, monophagous

Arundo donax.

synonyms

according to Skuhravá & Skuhravý (2004b) the name by Coutin & Faivre-Amiot, 1981 is a nomen nudum, and the correct species name is Lasioptera donacis Coutin, 2001. However, here the Fauna Europaea (2016) is followed.

notes

Thomas & Goolsby present a very detailed description of the larvae. The observation by Skuhravá & Skuhravý (2004b) that the larvae would live in old galleries of Cerodontha phragmitophila is not confirmed by them. However, they write that groups of eggs are deposited in “preexisting holes”.

references

Gagné (2010a), Goolsby, Vacek, Salinas, ao (2017a), Sánchez (2016a), Skuhravá & Skuhravý (1997b, 2004b, 2009b, 2021a: 41), Skuhravá, Skuhravý, Dauphin & Coutin (2005a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Ebejer (2002a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Elsayed (2014a), Thomas & Goolsby (2015a).