Monochroa cytisella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gelechiidae
Genus: Monochroa
Species:
M. cytisella
Binomial name
Monochroa cytisella
(Curtis, 1837)
Synonyms
List
    • Cleodora cytisella Curtis, 1837
    • Anacampsis fuscipennis Humphreys & Westwood, 1845
    • Gelechia walkeriella Douglas, 1850
    • Eupleuris coenulentella Herrich-Schäffer, 1854
    • Aristotelia clinosema Meyrick, 1935
    • Paltodora griseocapitella Bentinck, 1949

Monochroa cytisella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae and found in most of Europe. The larva feed in the stems of bracken causing a slight gall.

Description

The wingspan is 10–12 mm.[1] The head is ochreous-whitish. Forewings are ochreous - yellowish, towards costa sprinkled or suffused with fuscous; a yellowish-white streak from 4/5 of costa towards termen, not reaching it; usually an indistinct outwardly oblique whitish tornal mark. Hindwings are grey.[2] Adults are on wing in July. There is one generation per year.[1]

The larvae feed within a bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) stem, in a slight gall. The gall is a slight swelling, usually in the rachis, up to 15 mm (occasionally 25 mm) long. Initially it is green and later brown; the shoot beyond the gall is poorly developed or dies.[3] Pupation takes place in the gall.[4]

Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6

Distribution

Found in most of mainland Europe from Ireland to the Ukraine, and some of the Mediterranean islands, such as Sardinia and Sicily.[5]

Etymology

English entomologist, John Curtis originally named the moth, Cleodora cytisella in 1837 from three type localities, Glengarriff, County Cork, the Isle of Wight and London. It was later moved to the genus Monochroa; from the Greek monos, i.e., single and khros skin and referring to the unicolorous of some of the moths in the genus. The moths specific name cytisella is mistakenly named after the genus of broom Cytisus; despite the foodplant being bracken.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Kimber, Ian. "35.065 BF728 Monochroa cytisella (Curtis, 1837)". UKmoths. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  2. ↑ Meyrick, E (1895). A Handbook of British Lepidoptera. London: MacMillan. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
  3. ↑ Redfern, Margaret; Shirley, Peter; Bloxham, Michael (2011). British Plant Galls (Second ed.). Field Studies Council. p. 225. ISBN 978-1-85153-284-1.
  4. ↑ Emmet, A M, ed. (1988). A Field Guide to the Small British Lepidoptera (Second ed.). London: British Entomological and Natural History Society. ISBN 0-9502891-5-9.
  5. ↑ "Monochroa cytisella (Curtis, 1837)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 89. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.
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