First reports of Phytoliriomyza jacarandae in Greece, Portugal and Spain
Phytoliriomyza jacarandae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is a leaf miner which feeds exclusively on Jacaranda mimosifolia (Bignoniaceae). This tree originates from South America and is frequently planted for ornamental purposes in urban environments. The jacaranda leaf miner, P. jacarandae, was first described in California (US) in 1978 and is thought to originate from South America. According to the literature, P. jacarandae has been reported from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In the EPPO region, P. jacarandae was first found in Sicilia (IT) in 2006 during a study on pests of ornamental plants in parks and botanical gardens (EPPO RS 2009/071). The first specimens were collected from Catania, Messina, and Palermo. In 2007, it was also found in Alassio, in Liguria. In 2013, P. jacarandae was detected in Lisboa, Portugal. In 2014, it was reported from the island of Corfu (Greece). During summer 2014, it was found in urban areas of Jerez de la Frontera (province of Cádiz, Andalucía), Spain. Limited information is available on the biology of this insect. Larvae of P. jacarandae mine leaflets of J. mimosifolia creating short, brown mines which enlarge into irregular blotches. Affected leaflets fall and larvae pupate in the soil. Affected trees rapidly show yellowing foliage and premature leaf fall. It is considered that this monophagous pest might cause problems in urban areas where J. mimosifolia has been widely planted.
Sources
Anonymous (2010) Jacaranda leaf miner in New Zealand. Forest Health News no. 207, 2 pp. https://www.scionresearch.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/18158/FHNews-207_July2010.pdf
Bella S (2013) New alien insect pests to Portugal on urban ornamental plants and additional data on recently introduced species. Annales de La Société Entomologique de France (N.S.) 49(4), 374-382.
Bella S (2014) Invasive insect pests and their associated parasitoids on ornamental urban plants on Corfu island – Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal and Spencer 1978 (Diptera, Agromyzidae) a new record in Greece. Hellenic Plant Protection Journal 7(2), 53-59.
Bella S, Mazzeo G, Süss L (2007) First record for the European fauna of Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal & Spencer, 1978 (Diptera Agromyzidae) leafminer of Jacaranda mimosifolia D. Don. (Bignoniaceae). Bollettino di Zoologia Agraria e di Bachicoltura, Serie II 39(1), 75-78.
Sánchez García I (2015) Primera cita para España de Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal & Spencer, 1978 (Diptera: Agromyzidae) minador de Jacaranda mimosifolia D. Don. (Bignoniaceae). Revista de la Sociedad Gaditana de Historia Natural 9, 55-56.