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The family Agromyzidae is commonly referred to as the leaf-miner flies, for the feeding habit of larvae, most of which are leaf miners on various plants.

A worldwide family of approximately 2,500 species.The species are small, some with wing length of 1 mm. The maximum size is 6.5 mm. Most species are in the range of 2 to 3 mm.

Adult agromyzids can be recognized by the distinctive sclerotization of the head. The upper part of the frons, above the ptilinal suture (known as the ) is lightly sclerotized and lacks setae, while the lower part of the frons and the dorsal area of the head tends to be much more heavily sclerotized and setaceous. Thus the frontal vitta often forms a distinctive patch on the head, different in color and texture to the rest of the head. The compound eyes are usually oval and fairly small although in some species they are larger and more circular.

Larval mines of Phytomyza ilicis

The wings are usually hyaline although those of a few tropical species have darker markings. A few species, including all Agromyza spp, are capable of stridulation, possessing a "file" on the first abdominal segment and a "scraper" on the hind femur.

Agromyzidae larvae are phytophagous, feeding as leaf miners, less frequently as stem miners or stem borers. A few live on developing seeds, or produce galls. The biology of many species is as yet unknown. There is a high degree of host specificity, an example being Phytomyza ilicis, the Holly leaf miner that feeds on no other species.

A number of species attack plants of agricultural or ornamental value, and are therefore considered pests.

• West Palaearctic including Russia
• Nearctic
• Australasian/Oceanian
• Japan

Identification

Literature

• Spencer, K.A. Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Economic importance Series Entomologica. Volume 9. Dr. W. Junk bv The Hague. D. Gld. 110.-. xii + 418 p.

Extract Google Books

• Darvas, B., M. Skuhrav? and A. Andersen, 2000. Agricultural dipteran pests of the palaearctic region. In: L?szl? Papp and B?la Darvas (eds), Contri butions to a manual of palaearctic Diptera (with special reference to flies of economic importance), Volume 1. General and applied dipterology, Science Herald, Budapest: 565-650.
• Frick, K.E., 1952. A generic revision of the family Agromyzidae (Diptera) with a catalogue of New World species. University of California Publications in Entomology 8: 339-452. Berkeley and Los Angeles.
• Spencer, K.A., 1987. Agromyzidae. In: J.F. McAlpine, B.V. Peterson, G.E. Shewell, H.J. Teskey, J.R. Vockeroth and D.M. Wood (eds): Manual of Nearctic Diptera 2. (Researach Branch Agriculture Canada, Monograph 28); Minister of Supply and Services Canada: 869-879.
• Braun, M.R., Almeida-Neto, M., Loyola, R.D., Prado, A.P. & Lewinsohn, T.M. "New Host-Plant Records for Neotropical Agromyzids (Diptera: Agromyzidae) from Asteraceae Flower Heads"

External links

• Agromyzidae of the World
• Agromyzidae Taxonomy Site
• Images at BugGuide

on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site

• Agromyza parvicornis , corn blotch leafminer
• Amauromyza maculosa, blotch leafminer
• Liriomyza huidobrensis, pea leafminer
• Liriomyza sativae, vegetable leafminer
• Liriomyza trifolii, American serpentine leafminer
• Pea Leaf Miner - Center for Invasive Species Research

The Family Agromyzidae is a member of the Superfamily Opomyzoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Agromyzidae:

• Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
  • Kingdom: Animalia C. Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
    • Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
      • Branch: Protostomia Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
        • Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
          • Superphylum: Panarthropoda Cuvier
            • Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
              • Subphylum: Mandibulata Snodgrass, 1938
                • Infraphylum: Atelocerata Heymons, 1901
                  • Superclass: Panhexapoda
                    • Class: Insecta C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
                      • Subclass: Dicondylia
                        • Infraclass: Pterygota - Winged Insects
                          • Superorder: Panorpida
                            • Order: Diptera (DIP-ter-uh) C. Linnaeus, 1758
                              • Suborder: Brachycera (brak-EYE-sair-uh)
                                • Infraorder: Muscomorpha
                                  • Superfamily: Opomyzoidea
                                    • Family: Agromyzidae - Leaf Miner Flies