Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae found in Europe. It was first described in 1853, by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle from a specimen from Besançon, France. It is the type species of the genus Psychoides, also raised by Charles Bruand in 1853.[1] The larvae feed on ferns.
Larvae feed from August to June, initially in a whitish mine in the frond, and in the spring they leave the mine and burrow into a sorus, feeding on the sporangia. They later form a loose, portable case from empty sporangia and when fully grown in May the case resembles a misplaced sorus, especially on hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium). The larva is yellowish white with a brownish dorsa line and has a black head and black prothoracic plate.[2]
The following ferns have been recorded as food plants,[3][4]
Larva of another moth, Psychoides filicivora also feed on ferns. It has a pale-brown head and a pale-brown posterial margin, which has a split in the middle, compared with the black head and prothoracic plate of Psychoides verhuella.[5][6]
In a larval case, which is often against the midrib of the food plant.[4] Can be found in May and June.[7]
Single brooded, the moth flies in June and July, in early morning and late afternoon sunshine. Occasionally comes to light.[8] The grey to dark grey monochrome forewings have a violet reflection and lack the white tornal spot of Psychoides filicivora. The antennae are wire-shaped and just over half as long as the front wings.
Found in Europe, this species has been recorded from the following countries and regions; Austria, Belgium, Channel Islands, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain (local distribution), Hungary, Ireland, Poland and Romania.[9]
Psychoides was raised by Charles Braund in 1853 and comes from psukhē – of the soul, i.e. a moth of the family Psychidae and eidos – form, that is from the similarity of this species to moths of the Psychidae. The specific name verhuella is in honour of the mid-19th century Dutch entomologist, Q M R Verhuell.[10]
Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae found in Europe. It was first described in 1853, by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle from a specimen from Besançon, France. It is the type species of the genus Psychoides, also raised by Charles Bruand in 1853. The larvae feed on ferns.
Het tongvarenvretertje (Psychoides verhuella) is een vlinder uit de familie echte motten (Tineidae). De wetenschappelijke naam is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1853 door Bruand.
De soort gebruikt tongvaren, steenbreekvaren, muurvaren en adelaarsvaren als waardplanten. De vliegtijd is juni-juli.
De soort komt voor in Europa, onder meer in België. In 2014 werd hij voor het eerst waargenomen in Nederland.
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
Psychoides verhuella er en liten sommerfugl som hører til familien ekte møll (Tineidae). Denne arten lever ved bergvegger der det vokser svartburkne (Asplenium trichomanes), som er larvenes næringsplante. Den er den eneste representanten for gruppen Teichobiinae, somer knyttet til bregner, i Norden.
En liten (vingespenn 8-12 millimeter), ensfarget mørkbrun møll. Antennene er trådformede og litt over halvparten så lange som forvingene. Vingene og kroppen har en svak, bronseaktig glans.
Underfamilien Teichobiinae skiller seg sterkt fra de fleste andre ekte møll i levesett, ved at larvene lever på levende planter, i dette tilfellet bregner. Psychoides verhuella er knyttet til den lille bregnen svartburkne (Asplenium trichomanes) og finnes i bergsprekker og ved bergvegger der denne vokser. De nyklekte larvene minerer inne i svartburknens (temmelig små!) blader, etter hvert kryper de ut og lever i sporehusene der de spiser sporer. De voksne møllene flyr i juni-juli og skremmes lett ut fra svartburknene. Utenfor Norden er den også funnet på bregnen hjortetunge (Asplenium scolopendrium), som vokser på lignende steder som svartburknen.
Arten er funnet spredt rundt i Europa, men er ikke vanlig. I Norge er den funnet spredt i kyst- og fjordstrøk fra Østfold til Møre og Romsdal.
Psychoides verhuella er en liten sommerfugl som hører til familien ekte møll (Tineidae). Denne arten lever ved bergvegger der det vokser svartburkne (Asplenium trichomanes), som er larvenes næringsplante. Den er den eneste representanten for gruppen Teichobiinae, somer knyttet til bregner, i Norden.