Aspilanta viticordifoliella
Adult female A. viticordifoliella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Heliozelidae
Genus: Aspilanta
Species:
A. viticordifoliella
Binomial name
Aspilanta viticordifoliella
(Clemens, 1860)
Synonyms[1]
  • Antispila viticordifoliella Clemens, 1860
  • Antispila cf. viticordifoliella van Nieukerken et al. 2012

Aspilanta viticordifoliella is a species of moth in the family Heliozelidae. It is found in eastern North America. The larvae are leaf miners that feed on Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), false Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus vitacea), and frost grape (Vitis vulpina).[1][2]

Larvae, leafmines, and pupal cases of A. viticordifoliella on Parthenocissus quinquefolia and P. vitacea

Distribution

A. viticordifoliella can be found in Canada (Ontario and Québec) and the United States (Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania).[1]

Description

Adult A. viticordifoliella have a wingspan of around 5.5 mm (0.22 in), with each forewing measuring 2.2–2.5 mm (0.087–0.098 in).[1] The adult moth is dark brown with silvery white markings on the forewings and white tipped antennae.[3] They can be differentiated from other species of Aspilanta and various Antispila species by the lack of an apical spot on the forewings and white tipped antennae respectively.[1]

The larvae are yellowish-green with green gut contents. The head and prothorax are dark brown.[1]

The leaf mine usually begins as a rather compact blotch, sometimes preceded by a short linear portion. The frass of the larvae is black and placed in a thick clump towards the beginning of the mine, but more dispersed towards the center of the mine. When mature and ready to pupate, the larvae cut out a 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long case from their host leaf, leaving an elliptic hole.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 van Nieukerken, Erik J.; Eiseman, Charles S. (2020). "Splitting the leafmining shield-bearer moth genus Antispila Hübner (Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae): North American species with reduced venation placed in Aspilanta new genus, with a review of heliozelid morphology". ZooKeys. Pensoft Publishers (957): 105–161. doi:10.3897/zookeys.957.53908. ISSN 1313-2970.
  2. ↑ van Nieukerken, Erik J.; Wagner, David; Baldessari, Mario; Mazzon, Luca; Angeli, Gino; Girolami, Vincenzo; Duso, Carlo; Doorenweerd, Camiel (2012). "Antispila oinophylla new species (Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae), a new North American grapevine leafminer invading Italian vineyards: taxonomy, DNA barcodes and life cycle". ZooKeys. Pensoft Publishers (170): 29–77. doi:10.3897/zookeys.170.2617. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 3288679.
  3. ↑ Chambers, Vactor Tousey (1874). "MICRO-LEPIDOPTERA". The Canadian Entomologist. 6 (9): 168. doi:10.4039/ent6166-9.
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