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Aspilanta hydrangaeella

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Species of moth

Aspilanta hydrangaeella
Adult female A. hydrangaeella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Heliozelidae
Genus: Aspilanta
Species: A. hydrangaeella
Binomial name
Aspilanta hydrangaeella
(Chambers, 1874)
Synonyms
  • Antispila hydrangaeella Chambers, 1874
  • Antispila hydrangiaeella Chambers, 1878

Aspilanta hydrangaeella is a species of moth in the family Heliozelidae. It is found in the United States. The larvae are leaf miners that feed on hydrangea plants.

Distribution

A. hydrangaeella can be found in the eastern United States, including Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Larvae, leafmines, and pupal cases of A. hydrangaeella on H. arborescens

Description

Adult A. hydrangaeella have a wingspan of 5.0–5.8 mm (0.20–0.23 in), with each forewing measuring 2.2–2.8 mm (0.087–0.110 in) in length. Externally, adult A. hydrangaeella are similar to other moths in the genus Aspilanta, but can be differentiated by their antennae – the antennae of A. hydrangaeella have noticeable white tips.

The larvae are colorless or whitish besides their green gut contents, with a dark brown head and prothorax. Darker spots may be visible on some body segments. Their primary host plant is smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), though larvae can also be found less frequently on snowy hydrangea (Hydrangea radiata).

The leaf mine begins with a long, sometimes contorted linear portion that eventually widens out into an elongate blotch or wide gallery. The frass ranges from green to black in color, and is distributed in a narrow line at the start of the mine but forms a central smear in the larger, later portion of the mine. When mature and ready to pupate, the larvae cut out a 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long case from their host leaf, leaving an elliptic hole.

References

  1. ^ 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 (957). Pensoft Publishers: 105–161. Bibcode:2020ZooK..957..105V. doi:10.3897/zookeys.957.53908. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 7431445. PMID 32863714.
  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 (170). Pensoft Publishers: 29–77. Bibcode:2012ZooK..170...29V. doi:10.3897/zookeys.170.2617. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 3288679. PMID 22408380.
  3. ^ "Aspilanta hydrangaeella (Chambers, 1874) - No Common Name". Moths of North Carolina. North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and North Carolina Biodiversity Project. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
Taxon identifiers
Aspilanta hydrangaeella
Antispila hydrangaeella
Aspilanta
Heliozelidae<Lepidoptera<Insecta<Arthropoda<Animalia
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