Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Amauromyza flavifrons ?

Posted by Arp on 11-07-2024 00:03
#1

For a project rearing larvae of a small Tortoise beetle we are keeping various plants of Silene dioica in a confined space (glass cylinder).

While working on the beetles yesterday I found several of these little Agromyzidae on the leafs of one plant and also puparia (full and empty) nearby. I deposited two full puparia in a jar and today new flies emerged, so the puparia can safely be assumed to be the same species.

According to the BRC Database of Insects and their Food Plants there would be 3 species of Agromyzidae known from Silene dioica and of those, to my layman's eye only Amauromyza flavifrons looks similar to our flies.

For a publication on the life history of the Tortoise beetles we would like to list accompanying species as good as we can, so it would be appreciated if we can get an ID/confirmation on these flies |t

A few specimen were collected, so if specific details are needed for ID that are not shown clearly enough on the images, I might be able to provide these (or send you the flies).

Thanks in advance for your time!

Cheers, Arp

More images with the observation on waarneming.nl

Edited by Arp on 11-07-2024 00:05

Posted by Arp on 11-07-2024 00:07
#2

Extra images:

Posted by Arp on 11-07-2024 00:07
#3

Puparium

Posted by Barry on 11-07-2024 15:04
#4

Yes, this is Amauromyza (Cephalomyza) flavifrons. There are 5 species (not 3) of Agromyzidae associated with the genus Silene, please see my website for details;

https://agromyzidae.co.uk/host-plant/silene/

Edited by Barry on 11-07-2024 15:06

Posted by Arp on 12-07-2024 00:12
#5

Hi Barry, thanks for the confirmation - much appreciated!

The BRC Database doesn't seem to list Chromatomyia horticola (as Phytomyza) and Liriomyza strigata even for other species of Silene than dioica, but does list both for Caryophyllaceae spp. so your listing does seem to be more precise/detailed. Good to know |t

Thanks for making a point of including the subgenus name as well, always good to have that with it in case the taxonomic status might change to full genus at some point.

On another note: I noticed the species (or even genus) does not seem to have any images in the gallery here on diptera.info, but I don't readily see a link to add images or offer any for addition. All my images are Public Domain (or Creative Commons Zero if you will), so if anyone cares to use/add them, feel free to do so - no author name needed.
Edit: Duh: never mind that - found the link!

Thanks again for the help!

Cheers, Arp

Edited by Arp on 12-07-2024 00:18

Posted by Barry on 12-07-2024 09:22
#6

The BRC database is very out of date, my website is completely up to date and includes unpublished rearing results of Agromyzidae experts from across the world.

Posted by Arp on 12-07-2024 13:58
#7

Excellent work on your part - many thanks for all that hard work! |t

Yes, clearly the BRC Database has it's shortcomings, but I know of no other database that at least attempts to list these relations comprehensively for all plants/insects, so for me it always was a useful first stop, back when I still had this hobby.

A few other sites (but not many really) - like yours, as I learned now - have done a much better/current job when it comes to just one order or family of insects or specifically for galls/mines or some such, so it is good to have a list of those to access.

Yours is in that list now, although I won't be using the list much anymore.

Thanks again Barry!

Posted by von Tschirnhaus on 12-07-2024 14:42
#8

dear Arp,
do you know my three databases? Feed in https://sdei.senckenberg.de , select and click on the World Agromyzidae database, feed in the species field flavifrons and in the genus field Amauromyza and you will receive the world literature on this species on 16 scanned file cards. Search for all its synonyms by feeding in flavifrons in the last field and search each of those names and you will receive many more references for the synoyms.
Michael von Tschirnhausn

Edited by von Tschirnhaus on 12-07-2024 14:59