Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems - Grains ...

EXOTIC LEAF MINERS
Diptera: Agromyzidae
BIOSECURITY THREAT
NOT PRESENT IN AUSTRALIA
Distinguishing characteristics/description
adult
10 mm
20
30
Adult
Larval damage
Shiny black/
grey and
yellow in
colour
One set of
wings (forewings)
Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems Identification Manual and Education Resource © 2012
The Agromyzidae family are a well-known group of
small flies whose larvae feed internally on living plant
tissue, often as stem and leaf-miners. Within Australia
there are approximately 147 Agromyzidae species in 16
genera. Many Australian species are still undescribed.
Nearly all Agromyzidae species are host-specific but a
few species are highly polyphagous and have become
important pests of agriculture and horticulture in many
parts of the world.
54
Bright yellow
marking on
base of thorax
(scutellum) in
most species
SECTION 4 COMMON Pest, Beneficial and exotic Species
Characteristic leaf mining
(tunnelling) from larvae
feeding in plant tissue
Tunnels usually whitish in colour with
dried cut brown areas that thicken as larvae
mature. Tunnels can be tightly coiled, linear,
serpentine or irregular shaped
Key exotic agromyzid species for Australian
agriculture include:
American serpentine leaf-miner (Liriomyza trifolii)
Pea or serpentine leaf-miner (Liriomyza huidobrensis)
Pea leaf-miner (Chromatomyia horticola)
Chickpea leaf-miner (Liriomyza cicerina)
Diagnostic characteristics are dealt with at the family
level due to the difficulty in separating these species.