Phytomyza hellebori Kaltenbach, 1874
(Hellebore Leaf-miner)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesPhytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner)
GenusPhytomyza (a genus of leaf-mining flies)
FamilyAGROMYZIDAE (leaf-mining flies)
SuperfamilyOPOMYZOIDEA (a superfamily of acalypterate flies)
InfraorderSchizophora - Acalyptratae (an infraorder of flies)
OrderDIPTERA (two-winged flies)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Phytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner) :
1: Phytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner)
5 Jan 2002 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
puparia in mines in leaf of Stinking Hellebore
Image 1: Adult fly - rearedImage 2: Adult fly - reared (2)Image 3: Mines - top surface of leafImage 4: Mines - under surface of leafImage 5: Mine - top surface of leafImage 6: Mine - top surface of leaf - close-upImage 7: Mine - top surface of leaf - enlargedImage 8: Mine - top surface of leaf - enlarged (2)Image 9: Puparium in mine - anal appendages - magnifiedImage 10: Puparium in mine - exposed - magnifiedImage 11: Puparium in mine - exposed - magnified (2)Image 12: Puparium inside mine - magnifiedImage 13: Puparium inside mine - magnified (2)

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Anon 2017 Agromyzidae Newsletter No 2, July 2017 Agromyzidae Recording Scheme Newsletter.
Stubbs, A.E. 2000 The hellebore leaf-miner Phytomyza hellebori Kaltenbach (Diptera, Agromyzidae) new to Britain Diperists Digest, 2000 Vol. 7 No. 1 Dipterists Digest 7: 33-35.

Phytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Phytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 2 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Phytomyza hellebori (Hellebore Leaf-miner)

A leaf-miner feeding on Helleborus foetidus. The mines are most often seen on the over-wintering leaves when they are serpentine, ending in a bulbous chamber containing the puparium. This species was first found in Britain in 1999, and it is uncertain whether it is an overlooked native or a recent introduction. It has been found both in gardens and more natural sites and may be widespread.

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