Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola Kawahara, Nishida & Davis 2009

Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known only from Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, at 3,100 m elevation in the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica.

1=Life history of Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola.
A Leaf mines on a young leaf, arrows pointing at young to middle instar larvae B mature leaf mine with pupal cocoon fold (arrow), white square enclosing early stage mine region C mature sap-feeding larva in pre-cocoon chamber D detailed view of figure C E opened mine showing nearly mature sap-feeding larva in situ F opened young pupal cocoon fold showing cocoon-spinning instar in situ G pupal cocoon fold, arrow pointing to the slender exit H opened pupal cocoon fold showing pupa in situ, dorsolateral view.

The length of the forewings is 2.6-5.0 mm.

The larvae feed on Tropaeolum emarginatum.

Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola là một loài loài bướm thuộc họ Gracillariidae. Loài này chỉ có ở Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, ở độ cao 3.100 m ở Cordillera de Talamanca thuộc Costa Rica.

1=Chu kỳ sống của Phyllocnistis tropaeolicola.
A Sâu ăn lá non, mũi tên chỉ ấu trùng non và ấu trùng đang lớn B sâu ăn lá trưởng thành gấp lá để tạo kén nhộng (mũi tên), hình chữ nhật vuông màu trắng chỉ khu vực sâu ăn lá giai đoạn đầu C ấu trùng trưởng thành ăn nhựa cây trong buồng trước giai đoạn kéo kén D hình C nhìn gần E ấu trùng ăn nhựa lá gần trưởng thành tại chỗ (in situ) F kén nhộng non được mở cho thấy giai đoạn kéo kén tại chỗ (in situ) G nếp gấp kén nhộng, mũi tên chỉ chỗ ra mảnh H nếp gấp kén nhộng mở ra cho thấy nhộng tại chỗ (in situ), nhìn phía sườn bên.

Chiều dài cặp cánh trước từ 2,6-5,0 mm.

Ấu trùng ăn các loài Tropaeolum emarginatum.

Adult (Fig. 2C). Forewing length 2.6–5.0 mm. Head. Vestiture silvery white, completely covered with smooth, broad, scales slightly overlapping anterior margin of eyes. Antenna ~ equal to length of forewing, scape and pedicel enlarged laterally and covered in long silvery scales, a single row of fine short scales completely encircling each flagellomere. Labial palpus long, slender, ~ 1.0 mm. Thorax. Forewing silvery white; with a slender, dark-brown, longitudinal fascia extending 2/3 length of wing to meet distally at junction of brown, costal and transverse fasciae; costal fascia slender and strongly oblique with dark-brown border; transverse fascia V-shaped, with a dark-brown border; apical to subapical area pale yellowish orange with a small black spot; three slender, dark-brown costal strigulae, three slender dark-brown apical strigulae, and one faint brown tornal strigula arising from black apical spot; fringe along tornal margin white with a dark-brown basal band of broad scales. Hindwing mostly white except for a band of pale brown scales extending length of costal margin. Legs similar to P. drimiphaga, silvery white except dark brown over dorsal surface of femur, tibia and tarsus of foreleg. Abdomen. Length ~ 2.0 mm, mostly brownish gray dorsally, silvery white ventrally. Coremata similar to P. drimiphaga. Male genitalia (Figs 6A–C). Similar to P. drimiphaga except valva relatively longer and more slender, ~ 2.4× the length of vinculum, nearly straight, with ventral lobe of apex slightly re-curved dorsad (Fig. 6A). Genitalia slide USNM 33281. Female genitalia (Figs 6D, E). Oviscapt greatly reduced as in P. drimiphaga; ductus bursae completely membranous, slender, elongate, ~ 8.5× length of papillae anales and terminating at posterior end of corpus bursae; corpus bursae ~ 0.6× length of ductus bursae; a single elongate signum present as a narrow band partially encircling middle of corpus bursae; signum with 2 acute, flattened spines projecting inwards from band; length of spines slightly more than width of signa; ductus seminalis extremely slender, elongate, ~ 2.4 × length of corpus bursae and arising from near middle of corpus bursae. Genitalia slide USNM 33282, 33285, 33288.
Larva (Figs 12A, C–F). Young sap-feeding larva translucent yellow (Fig. 12A). Mature sap-feeding larva ~7.5 mm long, translucent yellow, head capsule translucent pale brown, prothoracic shield dark brown (Figs 12C–). Cocoon-spinning larva whitish yellow, head capsule pale gray brown; ~ 6.5 mm long (Fig. 12F).
Pupa (Figs 10, 12H). Brown, length up to ~ 5 mm; diameter ~ 1.0 mm. Vertex with a short, stout, process (cocoon-cutter) flanked by two, flattened, slightly longer processes (Figs 9A, B, D, E) and two pairs of short setae (Fig. 9C). Dorsum of A2–A7 with a pair of laterally curved, large spines in between which is a concentration of smaller spines, arranged in a triangular, V-shaped pattern (Figs 9F, G); each segment with a pair of long, lateral, sensory setae (Fig. 9L) that are shortest on A9–10 (Figs 9J, K). A10 with a pair of slightly divergent processes from caudal apex (Figs 9I, J).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, at 3100 m elevation in the Cordillera de Talamanca.