Heterarthrus
There are 23 species in the genus Heterarthrus primarily located in the palaearctic region. In Britain they are represented by seven species and in Ireland by four species (fiora, microcephalus, nemoratus and vagans).
Within the Heterarthrinae, the genus Heterarthrus can be characterised as follows. The antennae have between ten and twelve segments (sometimes more in the males). In dorsal view the head is less globose than other genera in this sub-family being much wider than it is long. The malar space is about twice the width of the front ocellus. There is no post-genal carina. The prepectus is also absent. On the legs, the tarsal claws are bifid with two subequal teeth close together and with a large basal lobe. The forewing has a complete anal cell with a cross vein. The hindwing lacks both the Rs and the M cells.
The larvae live in blister mines in tree leaves and make a distinctive circular cocoon in the leaf. The host plants are as follows.
Alder | Heterarthrus vagans |
Birch | Heterarthrus nemoratus |
Field Maple | Heterarthrus wuestneii |
Poplars esp. Aspen | Heterarthrus ochropoda |
Sycamore | |
Willows | Heterarthrus microcephalus |
Species list:
Heterarthrus cuneifrons Altenhofer & Zombori, 1987
Heterarthrus fiora Liston, 2019 = Heterarthrus aceris (Kaltenbach, 1856) in Benson
Heterarthrus microcephalus (Klug, 1818)
Heterarthrus nemoratus (Fallén, 1808)
Heterarthrus ochropoda (Klug, 1818)
Heterarthrus vagans (Fallén, 1808)
Heterarthrus wuestneii (Konow, 1905)
- Heterarthrus microcephalus female Credit Ian Andrews
- Heterarthrus microcephalus mine in sallow Credit Graham Watkeys
- Heterarthrus microcephalus mine in sallow Credit Graham Watkeys
- Heterarthrus microcephalus mine in sallow Credit Graham Watkeys
- Heterarthrus microcephalus mine in sallow Credit Graham Watkeys
- Heterarthrus cuneifrons/wuestneii agg male Credit Andrew Green
- Heterarthrus cuneifrons/wuestneii agg male Credit Andrew Green
- Heterarthrus cuneifrons/wuestneii agg male Credit Andrew Green
- Heterarthrus wuestneii mine Credit Tim Pridmore
- Heterarthrus nemoratus mine Credit Andrew Billington
- Heterarthrus vagans mine Credit Andrew Green
- Heterarthrus vagans larva Credit Andrew Green
References:
Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London
Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168
Liston, A., Mutanen, M. and Viitasaari, M., 2019. On the taxonomy of Heterarthrus (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), with a review of the West Palaearctic species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 72, p.83.
Smith, D. R. 1971: Nearctic Sawflies. III. Heterarthrinae: Adults and larvae (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). - Technical Bulletin, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington 1420: 1-84
Späth, J. & Liston, A. D. 2003: Bestimmung von Blattminen der Blattwespengattung Heterarthrus an Ahorn (Acer sp.) sowie Neunachweise aus Deutschland. (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). - Nachrichtenblatt der Bayerischen Entomologen, München 52(3/4): 60-70