Dioscorea communis, Teneriffa; from Klimesch (1983a)

Smilax aspera, Spain, prov. Asturias, Gijon © Jean-Yves Baugnée

detail

mine

On Smilax the young larva makes a short corridor which almost completely is filled with frass; later the larva lives free at the leaf underside, under a frass-covered web. On Dioscorea the larva lives its whole life in a very transparent full depth mine free of frass; the mine may be a corridor, blotch, or a star. In both plants the pupation occurs in a net-like cocoon (Klimesch, 1983a).

host plants

Dioscoreaceae, Smilacaceae; narrowly polyphagous

Dioscorea communis; Smilax aspera, canariensis.

phenology

Larvae in March (Hering, 1957a).

BENELUX

Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Germany to the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and the Balkan; also Canary Islands (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

pupa

Described by Patočka (1999b), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

synonyms

Acrolepia smilaxella Millière, 1874; A. tami Hering, 1927.

notes

The mines, and even the larvae, on Smilax and Dioscorea are rather different. Because no differences have been found between reared adults they nevertheless are considered conspecific. Hering (1957a) also sees differences between Smilax mines from the Canary Islands and from the Mediterranean.

references

Baldizzone & scalercio (2018a), Corley, Rosete, Gonçalves ao (2016a), Fazekas (2009a), Gaedike & Baldizzone (2008a), Gaedike & Karsholt (2001a), Hering (1927a, 1957a), Klimesch (1942a, 1983a), Maček (1999a), Patočka (1999b), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).