Leucoptera astragali Mey & Corley, 1999

Lepidoptera, Lyonetiidae

mine

The mine begins at a smooth, whitish, rather flat egg shell at the upperside of a leaflet, usually one per leaflet (but several for an entire leaf). From there a blotch is developed the in that the end occupies a large part of the leaflet. The mine is enlarged in a concentric pattern. There is much granular frass, that is glued to the upper epidermis and gives most of the central area of the mine a dark appearance. The full-grown larva makes a semicircular exit slit in the upper epiderm is, leaves the mine, and pupates within a cocoon.

hostplants

Fabaceae, narrowly monophagous

Erophaca baetica (= Astragalus lusitanicus).

phenology

Larvae were collected in mid-April.

distribution within Europe

Iberia, Tunisia.

larva

Body white; abdominal prolegs of the full-grown larva with 6-8 crochets. Head pale brown with a black eye patch. Prothorax with a light brown, divided, pronotum and a weak sternal plate. Anal shield pale brown.

pupa

Illustrated in Mey & Corley (1999a).

references

A & Z Laštůvka (2014a), Mey & Corley (1999a).

12/02/2017