Phyllonorycter latus Davis & Deschka 2001

Phyllonorycter latus

ADULT (Figure 28).—Length of forewing: 3.7–4.4 mm. Small moths, with slender reddish brown forewings largely traversed by 5 irregularly oblique white bands. Valvae of male genitalia symmetrical, gradually tapering to a slightly curved acuminate apex; vinculum broad.

Head: Vertex rough, with a variable mixture of mostly white and light brown, piliform scales; frons smooth, with broad white scales rarely suffused with pale brown. Antenna gray, a single row of dark-tipped scales encircling each segment; length of antenna approximately 0.8× that of forewing. Labial palpus mostly white, light to dark brown laterally.

Thorax: Pronotum mostly white, irrorated with dark brownish tipped scales. Venter white. Forewing variable, pale reddish to bronzy brown with usually five white bands extending across wing; basal two bands strongly slanted distad; distal band the smallest and interrupted by dark fuscous subapical spot; a large, highly variable streak or spot present at dorsal (anal) half of wing base; reddish bands mostly margined distally with dark brown; basal two dorsal bands dark margined along dorsal (caudal) margin of wing. Fringe pale gray. Hindwing and fringe uniformly pale gray. Legs mostly dark brown or fuscuous dorsally, white ventrally, with apices of tibial and tarsal segments white; hindleg much paler dorsally, pale gray.

Abdomen: Dark brown dorsally, white ventrally; conspicuous sex-scaling absent. Eighth sternum of male elongate, gradually tapering caudally to a narrow, truncate apex (Figure 238).

Male Genitalia (Figures 236, 237): Vinculum broadly V-shaped. Transtilla thickened, quadrate. Valva symmetrical, elongate, and very slender, tapering to a slightly curved, acuminate apex. Anellar membrane scabrous. Aedoeagus slender, with a minute, subapical lobe, relatively short, approximately 0.55× the length of eighth sternum.

Female Genitalia (Figures 425, 426): Accessory bursa with relatively long duct, nearly equalling length of ductus bursae, and arising from posterior end of latter from a short common duct. Signum a single, elliptical, lightly sclerotized disk bearing a pair of minute spinose papillae.

PUPA (Figures 85–93).—Maximum length 4.8 mm; width 0.8 mm. Vertex with triangular cocoon cutter similar to P. apparella. Forewing and antenna extending to caudal margin of A7. Hindleg extending to A8. Dorsum of A2 to anterior half of A8 almost completely covered with dense concentration of moderately large to small spines, with the largest spines situated cephalad; intersegmental surfaces as in Figure 89. Caudal half of sternum A7 with slightly raised triangular area bearing bilateral pair of small stout spines (Figure 90). Cremaster consisting of single pair of widely spaced, broad-based, curved spines (Figures 92, 93) on caudal margin of A10. A9 with sternum abruptly constricting ventrally (viewed laterally, Figure 91) to A10.

HOLOTYPE.—Colorado: Grand Co., Grand Lake, 2450 m, ; e. larva 14–21 Aug 1978 [e.=emerged], G. Deschka, mine in Populus tremuloides Michx., zucht nr. 1346, mine: 30 Jul 1978, slide USNM 30776 (GD 1549), USNM.

PARATYPES.—CALIFORNIA: Inyo Co., Sentinel Meadow, Inyo National Forest: 1, 4 , 30 Aug 1957, G.R. Struble, Populus tremuloides, Hopk. US. 34091 A, slides USNM 28427, 30441. COLORADO: Alamosa Co., Great Sand Hills, 2450 m: 5 , e. larva 9–13 Aug 1978, G. Deschka, mine in Populus tremuloides Michx., zucht nr. 1343, mine: 25 Jul 1978, slides GD 1559, USNM 21738. Grand Co., Grand Lake, 2450 m: 19, 19, e. larva 14–21 Aug 1978, G. Deschka, mine in Populus tremuloides Michx., zucht nr. 1346, mine: 30 Jul 1978, slide 1549. Paratypes in DLW, GD, and USNM.

HOST (Table 1).—Populus tremuloides Michx.

FLIGHT PERIOD.—August; univoltine.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 1).—Probably widespread through the western United States but currently known only from Inyo County in California and Grand and Alamosa Counties in Colorado.

ETYMOLOGY.—The specific name is derived from the Latin latus (broad) in reference to relatively broad vinculum, the most diagnostic feature of this species.

Phyllonorycter latus is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is probably widespread throughout the western United States, but only known from Inyo County in California and Grand and Alamosa counties in Colorado.

The length of the forewings is 3.7-4.4 mm. Adults are on wing in August in one generation.

The larvae feed on Populus tremuloides. They mine the leaves of their host plant.

Phyllonorycter latus là một loài bướm đêm thuộc họ Gracillariidae. It is có thể widespread throughout miền tây Hoa Kỳ, but only known from Inyo County in California và Grand và Alamosa Counties in Colorado.

Chiều dài cánh trước là 3.7-4.4 mm. Con trưởng thành bay vào tháng 8 làm một đợt.

Ấu trùng ăn Populus tremuloides. Chúng ăn lá nơi chúng làm tổ.