Ophiomyia Braznikov, 1897
The monophyly of this genus could not be established yet. The general description of the Tribe Ophiomyiini can be applied to Ophiomyia. Some characters traditionally used in identification keys cannot be used to characterize every species currently considered as Ophiomyia.
Adults, external
A conspicuously thickened facial keel divides the antennae. The males of many species possess a well-developed vibrissal fasciculus. Both characters are shown on the following picture: Ophiomyia head.pct.
Male genitalia
The male genitalia widely resembles those of Tropicomyia and Melanagromyza except that the bridges between the two side sclerites of basiphallus lie in an askew position (basiphallus mel oph.pct). Since parts of the basiphallus are frequently strongly atrophied, the bridge between the side sclerites can be confused with a side sclerite itself. For that reason the basiphallus as a whole appears to be strongly asymmetrical.
Immature stages
There is hardly any specific larval character in Ophiomyia not present in Melanagromyza, Tropicomyia or Hexomyza as well.
As Hexomyza and most Tropicomyia, the larvae have creeping welts consisting of two distinct size classes of denticles: The larger denticles are restricted to the margins of the welts O alliariae Larva SEM2.pct. A broad frontal process just above the facial mask is often but not always present. This structure are neither homologous nor even similar to the filament-like frontal processes found in Phytomyza, that is only suggested by the strict side view of many pictures. The processes of Ophiomyia and Tropicomyia are sickle-shaped when viewed from above. Larval mandibles are asymmetrically with the left being larger than the right one. The posterior spiracles have either three or more spiracular openings, a central horn is never found.
Bionomics
Most species are external stem miners but some species also feed partly or exclusively as leaf miner.