Eucosmophora pithecollobiae
Encyclopedia
Eucosmophora pithecollobiae is a moth
of the Gracillariidae
family. It is known from Belize
and Florida
.
The length of the forewings is 3-3.9 mm for males and 3.3-4 mm for females.
The larva
e feed on Pithecollobium guadalupense, Pithecollobium macrandrium and Pithecollobium unguis-cati. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The initial serpentine track is often obliterated by the blotch fashioned by third instar larva. The upper surface of the mine is waxy translucent. The larva remains visible within the mine throughout its development. Portions of the upper mine surface are discolored by the liquidy frass
excreted by the sap-feeding instars. The larva removes patches of parenchyma from the floor of the mine, especially about the periphery. The dark green frass is concentrated along the edges of the mine.
, of the
larval host plant.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae is an important family of insects in the order Lepidoptera and the principal family of leaf miners that includes several economic, horticultural or recently invasive pest species such as the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella....
family. It is known from Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
The length of the forewings is 3-3.9 mm for males and 3.3-4 mm for females.
The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e feed on Pithecollobium guadalupense, Pithecollobium macrandrium and Pithecollobium unguis-cati. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The initial serpentine track is often obliterated by the blotch fashioned by third instar larva. The upper surface of the mine is waxy translucent. The larva remains visible within the mine throughout its development. Portions of the upper mine surface are discolored by the liquidy frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
excreted by the sap-feeding instars. The larva removes patches of parenchyma from the floor of the mine, especially about the periphery. The dark green frass is concentrated along the edges of the mine.
Etymology
The species name is derived from the generic name, PithecellobiumPithecellobium
Pithecellobium is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words πιθηκος , meaning "ape" or "monkey," and ελλοβιον , meaning "earring," which refers to the coiled shape of the seedpods.Delimitation to the closely related Albizia is a matter...
, of the
larval host plant.