Phytomyza ilicis Curtis, 1846
(Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesPhytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
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 ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly) :
1: Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
22 Jul 2010 OSGR: SY98 50° 40’ N, 2° 0’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
aborted linear mines in Holly leaves
Image 1: Mined leaf - top surface - white backgroundImage 2: Mined leaf - top surface - white background (2)Image 3: Mined leaf - top surface - white background (3)Image 4: Mine - leaf top view - close-upImage 5: Mine - leaf underside - close-upImage 6: Mine - leaf top view - close-up - enlargedImage 7: Mine - leaf underside - close-up - enlarged
2: Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
22 Jul 2010 OSGR: SY98 50° 40’ N, 2° 0’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
dead pupa in blotch mine in Holly leaf
Image 1: Mine - leaf top surface - close-upImage 2: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up (2)Image 3: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up (3)Image 4: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up (4)Image 5: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up - enlargedImage 6: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up - enlarged (2)Image 7: Mine - leaf top surface - close-up - enlarged (3)Image 8: Pupal exuvia of hymenopterous parasite - magnifiedImage 9: Pupal exuvia of hymenopterous parasite - magnified (2)Image 10: Pupal exuvia of hymenopterous parasite - magnified (3)Image 11: Pupal exuvia of hymenopterous parasite - magnified (4)Image 12: Pupal exuvia of hymenopterous parasite - magnified (5)Image 13: Puparium and exit flap - magnifiedImage 14: Puparium - exposed - magnifiedImage 15: Puparium - exposed - magnified (2)Image 16: Puparium - predated - exposed - magnified
3: Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
18 Mar 2000 OSGR: SU79 51° 40’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: Oxon (VC 23) England
Blotches on Holly leaves
Image 1: Leaf with two blotch minesImage 2: Leaf with two blotch mines - close-upImage 3: Close-upImage 4: Close-up (2)
4: Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
9 May 1970 OSGR: TG10 52° 40’ N, 1° 10’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England
Puparium in Holly leaf
Image 1: Puparium - close-up - highly enlargedImage 2: Puparium in opened mine - highly enlarged

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Anon 2018 Agromyzidae Newsletter No 8, February, 2018 Agromyzidae Recording Scheme Newsletter.
() Cameron, E. 1939 The holly leaf-miner (Phytomyza ilicis, Curt.) and its parasites Bulletin of Entomological Research 30: 173-208.

Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 15 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Phytomyza ilicis (Holly Leaf-miner, Holly Leaf Gall Fly)

The very common blotch mines on Holly leaves have recently been found to consist of more than one species, but the species involved have yet to be elucidated. The spiracles on the puparium may be sufficient to distinguish them but, as always, adult male genitalia will probably turn out to be the only safe way.

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