Acrolepiopsis vesperella (Zeller, 1850)
Smilax canariensis, Canary Islands, la Gomera, 12.ii.2020 © Sébastien Carbonelle
mine on Dioscorea (left) and Smilax; uit Hering (1927a)
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).