Abstract
A little-known scathophagid fly is reported infesting the flowers and scapes of Narcissus poeticus growing in the Italian Central Apennines (AQ). This insect bores through the flower bud and lays an egg on the tepals. Both pistil and scape parenchymatous tissues provide the larva with nutrition, and the hollow stem a safe site for its metamorphosis. Infestation by this insect prevents the ovules from being fertilized as the larvae feed on the tisues in the style and so prevent the growth of pollen tubes.
Highlights
Scathophagidae is a large family of flies well represented in the Palaearctic and Nearctic regions, with 250 species in 50 genera
Larvae of Diptera found within flowers of Narcissus poeticus L. growing in the Italian Central Apennines stimulated the present study on the life history of this insect and its effect on this plants reproduction
The style (Figs 2a–d) is made up of parenchymatous tissue along which three symmetrical vascular bundles extend peripherally and a central canal lined with transmitting tissue, which provides a nourishing medium for the pollen tubes
Summary
Scathophagidae (see Kato et al, 2006; Ovchinnikov, 2009) is a large family of flies well represented in the Palaearctic and Nearctic regions, with 250 species in 50 genera. Adults are predators on other Diptera or small invertebrates, in particular blow-flies. Larvae, depending on the species, are saprophagous, facultative or obligatory predators, or phytophagous on angiosperms of which they mine leaves, bore stems, enter corms, or feed on seeds in capsules. The larvae of N. spinipes mine the leaves and stem bases of Narcissus (Ovchinnikov, 2009), a geophyte of the family Amaryllidaceae largely used in horticulture, medicine, pharmacology and production of cosmetics (Hanks, 2002). Larvae of Diptera found within flowers of Narcissus poeticus L. growing in the Italian Central Apennines stimulated the present study on the life history of this insect and its effect on this plants reproduction
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