Genus Phytomyza

Phytomyza Fallén, 1810

With more than 450 (Spencer, 1986) world species, Phytomyza is the largest agromyzid genus with a wide variety of lifestyles. Although most species are leaf miners, there are also external and internal miners in stems, roots and seeds. Only a small number of species is known as economically important. Phytomyza is as far as we know a paraphyletic assemblage of species related to Aulagromyza, Napomyza, Chromatomyia and Ptochomyza.

Adults
There is no distinctive external character to identify any species as Phytomyza but the following two may succeed in most cases: Orbital setulae proclinate orbitalsetulae id.pct (also in Chromatomyia, Napomyza, Ptochomyza and some Phytoliriomyza and Ophiomyia); second cross vein lacking (present in some Phytomyza species and lacking in several agromyzid groups as well).

Male terminalia
Hypandrium short and thick-walled, 'v'-shaped, normally shorter than aedeagus; hypandrial apodeme normally missing. Epandrium and ejaculatory duct can be of various shape. The inner part of epandrium can be articulated. Gonites well developed, situated below the epandrium. Aedeagus often with two thin and long terminal tubules of distiphallus. This presumably ancient condition is found for example in Phytomyza ilicis. Furthermore a bewildering variety of aedeagus forms exist in this genus.

Immature stages
All larvae have posterior spiracles with more than three bulbs each. Sub spiracular processes lacking. Lateral sclerites usually lacking or rather small. The right mandible normally distinctly larger than the left one. Pupariation mainly in the soil but sometimes also in the mine.

Bionomics
Most species are leaf-miners but there are also numerous internal stem and seed feeders.

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