Biosystematic studies on Agromyzidae from India

Abstract

Pure systematics of Agromyzids attracted the attention of many entomologists quite early in the century, but investigations on their biosystematics is still to gain the necessary attention and recognition from entomologists. Their life history and feeding habits being so closely interelated with the chemical nature of their host plant, investigations into their capability to select the right host plant become all the more important. It has become very essential to critically reassess their systematic position and the characters governing this sensitive interspecific relationship. Factors which require special attention in this regard are: (i) the organs and devices responsible for host recognition and host selection, (ii) correlation between the structure of these organs and the behaviour of these flies, (iii) recognition of special features in their biology and (iv) the study on the interrelationship between ecological factors and the special features in their biology.

Though agromyzid infestation causes damage to varied plant parts such as root, stem, leaf and seed etc there is striking structural similarity in the organs and devices responsible for host selection. This is mainly due to the fact that in all cases it is the adult fly which is responsible for choosing the host. As very little information is available on the correlations between structural adaptations for host recognition, selection and the behaviour of Agromyzids, an attempt has been made to highlight these aspects.