Cerodontha (Poemyza) lateralis (Macquart, 1835)
Very similar to the larger Cerodontha superciliosa (Zetterstedt, 1860) (see von Tschirnhaus, 2000 and Spencer, 1973). However, superciliosa has not been reported from cultivated crops. For distinction of the two species the male epandrium can be used (Nowakowski, 1973: Cer lat-sc.pct).
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
Adults
Wing length: 2 - 2.5 mm. Abdominal tergites light brown, distinctly lighter than mesonotum. Both are fine pubescent and shining; tergites more subshining.
Immature stages
Cephalopharyngeal skeleton (fig. Nowakowski, 1973): The mouth hooks on each mandible are of different size with the upper one larger than the lower. Basal sclerite darker than that of incisa, dorsal arm almost straight.
Anterior spiracles small, knop-like. The three bulbs on each posterior spiracle are nearly of equal size. On each side of the spiracles there is a conspicuous dark patch (Nowakowski, 1973: "Raspelwarzen") (fig. SEM or from Nowakowski).
Puparium deeply segmented with shining black surface.
BIONOMICS
Ecological studies on this species were conducted by Venturi, 1935: He reported 6 generations per year in Italy.
The mines can be found mainly in the middle part of the leaves and normally don't occupy the whole width of the leaf (Nowakowski, 1973).
HOST PLANTS
Hordeum vulgare L. (barley), Secale cereale L. (rye), Triticum aestivum L. (wheat), and the ruderal grass Elytrigia repens (=Agropyron repens), possibly also some other wild grasses.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread in the Palaearctic region.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
Damage "normally negligible" (Spencer, 1973). Possibly the population of Cerodontha lateralis is effectively controlled by parasitoids (Venturi, 1935).