Pterygophorinae larva hub
Pterygophorinae larva hub
Workbook
This page serves as a hub, providing background and links to a series of pages dealing with the identification of larvae in the subfamily Pterygophorinae, including information on their life history (host plants, timing of developmental stages).
Note: The following larvae have been identified to species level based on one or more of the following criteria:
it is the only one of the subfamily occurring at that location
it has been raised to an adult stage, which can be unambiguously identified
it has been DNA barcoded
the larva has a distinctive morphology which is different to any other species
Lophyrotoma analis
from Schmidt et al. (2006)
Lophyrotoma analis is polyvoltine in the Brisbane area and in suitable habitats larvae can be found almost all year except for a short period in winter. After completing their development the larvae enter the soil and prepare a cocoon where they develop to the adult stage within 13–22 days (mean = 15.5, SD = 1.75, n = 161). Males lived for 6 to 10 days (mean = 8.0, SD = 1.9, n = 15) and females 3 to 9 days (mean = 5.1, SD = 2.2, n = 10) with access to water and honey.
About one fifth of field-collected larvae (22.2 %, n = 207) was parasitised by Ichneumonidae (2.9 %) and Tachinidae (19.3 %). Females place their eggs into the leaf margin of their host plant. The eggs are laid singly, not in clusters as in species of the subfamily Perginae, although a leaf may receive several eggs. When a female is placed on a dock leaf it almost invariably starts immediately to examine the surface with its ovipositor tip, by bending the abdomen. It then uses the antennae to examine the leaf surface and moves to the leaf margin where it usually starts ovipositing at once (Fig. 7).
The larvae are morphologically similar to the larvae of the family Argidae. As in argids the body is laterally broadened ventrally and lacks any apical or dorsal appendages (Fig. 8).
The head is orange-brown and the body has a whitish appearance and the internal organs and gut contents shine through the translucent cuticle, giving the larva a slightly greenish colour. Only the first thoracic segment dorsally apex differ in colour, being more or less yellow. The entire body is covered with black spots (Fig. 8)
Lophyrotoma cygna
Following panel of photos from iNaturalist observation by kirrrkus in Margaret River area, WA. Good candidate for L. cygna based on fact that only other Pterygophorinae larvae in WA are L. zonalis and L. analis, which can be excluded based on location, morphology and host plant.
Lophyrotoma interrupta
Lophyrotoma leachii
Lophyrotoma zonalis
Burrows & Balciunas (1997) state that P. zonalis embryonic period is 3-4 weeks (but may be longer in winter) and larval development through perhaps 10 instars takes 5 weeks. The larvae burrow into the thick, papery bark of Melaleuca spp. and form holes in the outer bark layers. Pupation takes 20-23 days (range 17-52 days). Purcell & Goolsby (2005) report pupal period of 30-34 days for L. zonalis in Darwin. Adults emerging from a given batch may be all males or all females or a mix. Reproduction is parthenogenetic and females may begin ovipositing within 2 days of becoming adults. The female inserts her ovipositor into leaf tissue in a line along the leaf margin, laying 20-30 eggs (range 7-76). Females can lay up to 6 batches of eggs. Emergence from eggs is highly synchronised and the larvae begin feeding at the tip of the leaf in a feeding front. After consuming that leaf they move to another and reform a front. After several moults they disperse and feed individually. The female does not feed and dies within 4-6 days (max. 8).
Pterygophorus cinctus
Rhianna Boyle has reared larvae through to adults identified as P. cinctus. iNat observation
Larvae
Nine larvae from a large size cohort and three from a small cohort (photos 2-5) were transferred to an insect rearing tent on 14.01.26.
Larvae were fed on cut foliage from their host tree, which was kept in a vase of water and replaced as needed.
Five different pupation media were provided:
Allocasuarina log, bark intact on one side
Eucalyptus or Corymbia log, bark removed
Container of peat moss and vermiculite mix
Container of layered cardboard, lined with brown paper
Container of bark from Melaleuca salicina, lined with brown paper.
(paper was added after the photos were taken)
Pupation
All larvae appeared to pupate in the Allocasuarina log. Pupation took place largely at night, with one larva observed under the log during the day (photos 11 & 12). Small deposits of fine sawdust were visible under the log after pupation (photos 13 & 14). Some small holes were visible in the bark (photos 15 & 15).
The large larvae pupated between 19.01.26 and 28.01.26.
The small larvae pupated between 02.02.26 and 13.02.26.
Eclosion
#1 - female - emerged 25.02.26
Hind tibia and T2 black.
Photos 1-3
#2 - female - emerged 01.03.26
Hind tibia black, T2 mostly black with small yellow triangle.
Photos 4-6
#3 - female - emerged 02.03.26
Hind tibia pale, T2 majority black with lower part orange.
Photos 7-9
- see Notes page
- left hind leg removed for DNA barcoding
Pterygophorus insignis
Purcell & Goolsby (2005) report following pupal periods at these locations: Chelmer (Brisbane) 66 days; Coolum (Sunshine Coast) 13-17 days, 86 days, 69 days; Fitzgibbon (Brisbane) 16-40 days, 80-81 days; Burpengary (Brisbane) 51 days; Poona NP (Maryborough) 68 days.
They state that the larvae of Lophyrotoma zonalis and Pterygophorus insignis appear identical.
Pterygophorus turneri
Larvae shown below with a distinctive black dorsal projection from prothoracic segment and green body colour with yellow longitudinal stripes are candidates for Pterygophorus turneri.
Pterygophorinae larvae seen at home
All of these larvae seen at home have been feeding on Eucalyptus globoidea. I believe this is the only report of Pterygophorinae larvae feeding on a Eucalyptus/Angophora/ Corymbia species. Although there is an iNaturalist observation of a female possibly ovipositing on a eucalypt leaf.
The only Pterygophorinae adults sighted at home are Pterygophorus cinctus, Lophyrotoma interrupta and Lophyrotoma cyanea. So it’s likely to be the latter.
January-February 2023 “Deck bush”
8 January 2023
Around 25 Pterygophorinae larvae (probably Lophyrotoma sp.) spotted feeding in cluster of leaves in Eucalyptus globoidea bush resprouting basally from a burnt sapling in front of the house deck.
We saw adults of two Lophyrotoma species - Lophyrotoma interrupta and Lophyrotoma cyanea - last spring. These larvae may be the offspring of one of those.
13-18 January 2023
2 February - 2 March 2023
February 2023
2 February 2023 10:28pm
Five larvae seen feeding on a leaf on a epicormic branch of Eucalyptus globoidea tree with a broken trunk in driveway, near new water tank
4 February 2023 9:47am
3 larvae on one leaf, another 2 on nearby leaf
8 February 2023 12:43pm
2 larvae on one leaf, another 3 on nearby leaf
10 February 2023 9:12am
4 larvae on one leaf, another on nearby leaf
12 February 2023 11:11am
3 larvae found - on one leaf. moved them inside to the cage, placed the branch on which they were found in a jar of water with a lid with holes
14 February 2023 9:52am
only one larva remaining, with its exuvia from a recent moult nearby.
Other 2 larvae were found drowned in water in the jar holding the vegetation, having crawled through a hole in the lid.
One of these was placed in a tube of 100% ethanol and transferred to collection #PW017
January-February 2026
Tracing development of a clutch of 14 Pterygophorinae larvae feeding on leaves of an epicormic branch of E. globoidea on Lot 6 track, near junction with wombat track.
23 January 2026 6:55pm - first sighting by Kerri
24 January 2026 9:37pm
30 January 2026 1:00pm
20 February 2026
only six larvae present - in two groups of 3 on leaves on widely separated stems
21 February 2026
larvae can no longer be found.
Given Purcell & Goolsby’s report of P. insignis pupation period of 40-81 days, it’s possible that these larvae had moved from the vegetation to search for a site to pupate.
Tips on rearing Pterygophorinae larvae from literature
from Purcell and Goolsby 2005
All larvae were reared on foliage of the tree species on which they were collected. Larvae of species of Perginae were placed into sealed plastic containers lined with paper towelling. Young foliage was provided as needed. When larvae became late instars, moist sand up to 5cm deep was placed in the bottom of the container for pupation. Similar containers were used for Pterygophorinae species; however larvae were provided with older leaves while paper towelling or bark up to 5cm deep was provided for pupation.
from Burrows and Balciunas 1997 - Life-history of Lophyrotoma zonalis
Durations of the egg stage were obtained by confining captured or reared adults in gauze socks on tree branches, or in cages containing small potted trees. The dates on which eggs were laid and hatched were recorded. Unlike older larvae, which can be reared individually in the laboratory, newly hatched larvae are gregarious and cannot be separated from each other or the host tree without extensive mortality resulting. Determination of the number of larval instars and their duration therefore had to be performed in situ on host trees. We monitored leaves with egg cases laid on M. quinquenervia or M. leucadendra at our Townsville shadehouse and on the campus for the emergence of young larvae. We then regularly collected individuals from each cohort, and preserved them in alcohol. Their head capsule widths were measured under a low power microscope and plotted graphically against time since emergence from the egg case. Pupal periods were obtained by collecting late instar larvae and prepupae and allowing them to pupate in a variety of media, including bark stripped from Melaleuca trees, pieces of paper folded several times, and small blocks of styrofoam.
In June 1990, we tested the effect of exposure to light on pupation. 80 final instar larvae were evenly divided into two groups. Larvae of both groups were held at 25C in individual 300ml clear plastic containers without pupation media. The containers with the first group were placed in a closed cardboard box, while those from the second group were exposed to the 12:12 photoperiod of the room.
The choice oviposition tests consisted of four or five, captured or reared, L. zonaIis females introduced into a cage (170 cm x 80 cm x 80 cm and covered by 2 mm mesh nylon flyscreen) containing one M. quinquenervia tree (120 cm to 160 cm high) and two other tree species of similar size. As females do not need to mate to lay viable eggs, not all females used in the oviposition tests were mated. Females taken from laboratory colonies were generally unmated, while those collected from the field may have mated prior to collection.
Four or five days later, after all the females were dead, each tree was thoroughly searched for egg cases. For three of the oviposition tests conducted in 1992, cages could not be used, and instead, females were confined in a plastic and/or gauze material sock which enclosed small branches of M. quinquenervia and one or two other tree species.
At the end of the final instar, the larvae burrow into the thick papery bark on the trunk and lower branches of Melaleuca species, forming chambers in which they pupate. The prepupal stage, lasting several days, occurs after the larva has burrowed into bark, involves a shortening of the body, and the loss of the tail-like, dorsal, caudal appendage. Their entry into the bark leaves a conspicuous "shothole" in the outer bark layers. The presence of numerous, often thousands, of "shotholes" in the bark of Melaleuca spp. trees, are a useful way of determining which trees have been subject to attack by L. zonalis. In the laboratory, larvae pupated successfully in layers of paper, pieces of wood, styrofoam, and, when not provided with pupation media, on the bottom of plastic rearing containers. Pupation usually lasts 20-23 days (range 17-52 d).
The sex ratios of emerging adults remain unclear. Often all the adults emerging from batches of pupae were females, while sometimes they were all male. In some cases, one sex would emerge first, and then another sex would emerge several days later, with various ratios of both sexes emerging on the days in between. The reasons for this are unknown, but differential sex-biased mortality is unlikely, as these were lab-reared adults. Other possible reasons, such as the effect of environmental conditions, different pupal durations between the sexes, and whether their mothers had mated prior to oviposition, require further investigation.
In the study testing the effect of light upon pupation, mortality of the larvae held in an enclosed cardboard box was 20% and the mean pupation period was 19.7 d (n = 27). Mortality of the larvae exposed to a 12:12 L: D photoperiod was 75% and the mean pupation period was 23.6 d (n = 9). The sex ratios for both groups were 47% and 56% females respectively, while adult longevity for the two groups was 5.6 and 5.3 d respectively. From this, it would appear that exposure to light reduces pupation success, as might be expected for an insect that pupates within the bark of its host. We always provided pupation media, usually small (2 x 4 cm) blocks of styrofoam, for the larvae to pupate in and to avoid exposure to light. The larvae readily bored into the styrofoam, leaving a small pile of white foam fragments as evidence of their entry. Once inside the styrofoam, they are easily stored or handled, and can be excavated without harm, making this an ideal pupation medium for laboratory rearing.
Notes from Benson (1938)
Froggatt (1890) records larvae of P. cinctus, P. interruptus as feeding on Leptospermum. He states that P. cinctus is one of the commonest species about Sydney.
“The larva of this saw-fly is of a dull greenish colour, the head black, the thoracic segments broad, the remaining segments tapering to a point, with the anal segment prolonged into a long slender tail-like appendage curved over the back when feeding; all the segments are covered with small black tubercles which are thickest on the basal ones. They vary much in colour from pale yellow to very dark green consequent on their frequent moulting. They feed on the leaves of Leptospermum in April and May, and, unlike the larvae of Perga, do not form social clusters, but scattered ; they feed during the day, and trust to are their colour and remarkable resemblance to the twigs to which they cling to escape detection. Some larvae taken at the end of April at Rose Bay were placed in a jar ; they showed no signs of going into the soil at the bottom like those of Perga, but the following week noticed boring holes into the cork covering the jar. Upon placing some pieces of dead wood in the jar they betook themselves to these and all of them had disappeared, soon closing the entrance of their tunnels with the wood they excavated in forming the chambers. On examining the wood three months afterwards I found that they made no cocoons, but the sides of the chambers occupied were black and shining ; the larva itself had become much shorter, and the anal tail had disappeared. The first perfect saw-flies came out in the first week of September, and I have now a number of the larvae of this, and of what I believe to be two other species of this which feed upon the leaves of Eucalyptus.”
Roberts (1932) records P. analis larvae feeding by day on various Eucalyptus spp. preferring E. melanophloia; he states that when the leaves of this tree are stripped, the larvae attach any plant near by, but that he did not believe eggs were laid in the other Eucalyptus spp. except perhaps E. siderophlia and E. crebra. The larvae are social when young, but they become solitary when they grow larger, yet the cocoons are sometimes massed together into a conglomerate in the soil.
Mrs. Radford collected larvae of what I call P. analis on Rumex sp. in SA.
R.E. Turner caught P. leachii mostly on a species of Eucalyptus, while P. uniformis feeds on a creeper in the jungle.
Host plants for Pterygophorinae larvae
from Schmidt et al. (2006)
Myrtaceae - Eucalyptus, Leptospermum, Melaleuca, Callistemon, Syzygium
Polygonaceae - Rumex
References:
Benson, R.B. (1938) A revision of the genus Pterygophorus Klug, sensu lato, with the description of two new genera (Hymenoptera, Symphyta) Annals and Magazine of Natural History 1: 610-625.
Burrows, D.W. & Balciunas, J.K. (1997) Biology, distribution and host-range of the sawfly, Lophyrotoma zonalis (Hym., Pergidae), a potential biological control agent for the paperbark tree, Melaleuca quinquenervia. Entomophaga 42: 299-313.
Malagon-Aldana, L.A. et al (2021) Comparative anatomy of the larvae of argid sawflies (Hymenoptera:Argidae): a phylogenetic approach. Organisms Diversity & Evolution 21: 361-392.
Purcell, M. and Goolsby, J.A. 2005. Herbivorous insects associated with the paperbark Melaleuca quinquenervia and its allies: VI. Pergidae. Australian Entomologist 32: 37-48.
Schmidt, S., Walter, G.H., Grigg, J. & Moore, C.J. (2006). Sexual Communication and Host Plant Associations of Australian Pergid Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Pergidae). In Blank, S., Schmidt, S. & Taeger, A. (eds), Recent Sawfly Research: Synthesis and Prospects. Goecke & Evers, Keltern.
Takeuchi, M. & Zalucki, M.P. (2022) Feeding behaviour in Australian gregarious Lophyrotoma sawflies (Hymenoptera: Pergidae). Austral Entomology 61: 494-504
This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.