Phytomyza hellebori Kaltenbach

Guglya, Yuliia, 2025, Rearing mining flies (Diptera: Agromyzidae) from host plants as an instrument for associating females with males, with the description of two new species. Report 2, Zootaxa 5658 (1), pp. 1-86 : 39-41

Phytomyza hellebori Kaltenbach

( Figs. 74–77 , 272–277 )

Material examined. Ukraine: Kharkiv Region: Kharkiv, Velyka Danylivka , 50°01'N, 36°18'E, 06.viii.2024 — mines with larva collected, 15.viii.2024 —imago, M. Fandikova, ex Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica (1♂ 1 puparium) .

Hosts. Ranunculaceae : Helleborus Toum. ex L. ( Benavent-Corai et al. 2005), Clematis sp. ( Guglya 2021) Clematis terniflora DC , C. integrifolia L.—a newly recorded host plant.

Wing. ( Fig. 272 ) Hyaline, greyish, with costa, R 1+2 and R 3+4 brown, with remaining veins paler; costa reaching R 3+4; second cross vein absent; calypter pale yellow, margin and fringe brownish. Wing length 2.5 mm.

Male genitalia. ( Figs. 273–276 ) Postgonite relatively narrow, 3.7× as long as maximum width; bilobate laterally, with one lobe narrow, finger-shaped, and another lobe wide, rounded; set at a distance hook-shaped lobe located apically. Other features described and depicted in Papp & Černý (2019).

Female genitalia. ( Fig. 277 ) Proctiger generally cylindrical, weakly sclerotized in anterior half except for stronger sternite 10 and narrow dorsomedial area of tergite 10; four pairs of long setae located on the posterior margin between cerci. Cercus oval, 0.38× as long as proctiger; short and medium setae spaced laterally, subapically and apically.

Distribution. Palaearctic region ( Guglya 2021), Nearctic region: Canada, USA ( Eiseman et al. 2024).

Comments. Adults of Phytomyza hellebori have been reared three times from two species of Clematis in Kharkiv ( Ukraine): in 2013 ( Fig. 75 ) and 2019 from C. integrifolia and in 2024 from C. terniflora . All mines were collected in one garden, where an unmined Helleborus sp. was also cultivated. In Ukraine, individuals of both plant host genera are commonly found, although hellebores are not found in the wild towards the northeast. In localities where both occur, it should be further investigated as to whether adult females are also preferentially ovipositing on Clematis .

Male genitalia of P. hellebori are close to those of P. anemones Hering and P. fallaciosa Brischke. Paired sclerites of the basal part of the distiphallus in reared specimens from Clematis spp. are various ( Figs. 273–275 ). The main differences among these species are external features, phenology, voltinism, specialities of the mining and host specialization. P. anemones and P. fallaciosa make apical mines, blotch and secondary blotch respectively, and P. hellebori make not apical secondary blotch mine. According to Spencer (1976) P. hellebori was reared from Helleborus spp. and Anemone hortensis ; L. P. anemones from Anemone nemorosa L. and Clematis flammula L.; and P. fallaciosa —from Ranunculus spp . Taking into account all the above P. anemones clematobia reared from Clematis flammula emerged month later than known P. anemones ( Hering 1967) and presumably it may turn out P. hellebori , but the correct status of this subspecies still needs clarification.

Mine in Clematis sp. leaf, puparium, cephalopharingeal skeleton and female genitalia except proctiger depicted and described in Guglya (2021).

Figures

FIGURES 74–77. Figures 74–77: Phytomyza hellebori; 74: mines in Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica leaves; 75: fly reared from Clematis integrifolia in 2013; 76: mine in Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica leaf viewed from the upper side; 77: same mine in Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica leaf viewed from the lower side.

FIGURES 272–277. Phytomyza hellebori Kaltenbach; 272: wing; 273–275: distiphallus viewed from below; 273: specimen reared from Clematis integrifolia in 2019; 274: specimens reared from C. integrifolia in 2013 and C. terniflora in 2024; 275: specimen reared from C. integrifolia in 2013; 276: postgonite; 277: proctiger.