Aglaope infausta

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Aglaope infausta
Aglaope infausta.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Zygaenidae
Genus: Aglaope
Species:
A. infausta
Binomial name
Aglaope infausta
Synonyms
  • Sphinx infaustaLinnaeus, 1767

Aglaope infausta, or almond-tree leaf skeletonizer moth, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae.

Contents

Description

Larva Aglaope infausta larva.jpg
Larva

The wings are gray with some red towards the base. The thorax is black and is crossed with a red band. [1] The wingspan is about 15 millimetres (0.6 in). [2] The caterpillar can retract its head into its prothorax. [1] A yellow band with black spots runs along the caterpillar's dorsum. [1] The pupation usually starts in early June as an elongated cocoon that is whitish or light brown. [3] The pupa is pink or yellowish and is 10 mm (0.4 in) long. [1] The larvae feed upon Prunus spinosa , Crataegus sp., Cotoneaster sp., and other species in the family Rosaceae. [4] The species is a pest on foliage and young fruit. [5] The species shows a very low level of genetic heterogeneity for a lepidopteran species, but it does not affect the species' viability. In the Ice Age, differentiation into two genetic lineages occurred. [6]

Mating

The external male sex organs are subject to sexual selection by the female. The male may rub the female's abdomen with its valva during mating. Successful sperm transfer depends upon whether the male spermatophore will fit into the opening of the female ductus seminalis. [7] In a study of sex pheromones, Aglaope infausta was one of the species attracted by tortricids pheromones and caught in the traps. [8]

Habitat

A. infausta is found in Portugal, Spain, France and north-western Italy reaching its north-eastern distribution limit in western Germany. [2] The habitat has to be hot and dry. The species lives in bushy, warm, steppe regions and in forests. [4] The species sometimes shares the habitat of Heterogynis penella . [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zygaenidae</span> Family of moths

The Zygaenidae moths are a family of Lepidoptera. The majority of zygaenids are tropical, but they are nevertheless quite well represented in temperate regions. Some of the 1000 or so species are commonly known as burnet or forester moths, often qualified by the number of spots, although other families also have 'foresters'. They are also sometimes called smoky moths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortricidae</span> Family of tortrix moths

The Tortricidae are a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order Lepidoptera. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea, although the genus Heliocosma is sometimes placed within this superfamily. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a junior synonym. The typical resting posture is with the wings folded back, producing a rather rounded profile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Codling moth</span> Species of moth that feeds on fruit (Cydia pomonella)

The codling moth is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly dependent on fruits as a food source and thus have a significant impact on crops. The caterpillars bore into fruit and stop it from growing, which leads to premature ripening. Various means of control, including chemical, biological, and preventive, have been implemented. This moth has a widespread distribution, being found on six continents. Adaptive behavior such as diapause and multiple generations per breeding season have allowed this moth to persist even during years of bad climatic conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianmeal moth</span> Species of moth

The Indianmeal moth, also spelled Indian meal moth and Indian-meal moth, is a pyraloid moth of the family Pyralidae. Alternative common names are weevil moth, pantry moth, flour moth or grain moth. The almond moth and the raisin moth are commonly confused with the Indian-meal moth due to similar food sources and appearance. The species was named for feeding on Indian meal or cornmeal, and does not occur natively in India. It is also not to be confused with the Mediterranean flour moth, another common pest of stored grains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light brown apple moth</span> Species of moth (Epiphyas postvittana)

The light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almond moth</span> Species of moth

The almond moth or tropical warehouse moth is a small, stored-product pest. Almond moths infest flour, bran, oats, and other grains, as well as dried fruits. It belongs to the family of snout moths (Pyralidae), and more specifically to the tribe Phycitini of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae. This species may be confused with the related Indian mealmoth or the Mediterranean flour moth, which are also common pantry pests in the same subfamily.

<i>Orgyia antiqua</i> Species of moth

Orgyia antiqua, the rusty tussock moth or vapourer, is a moth in the family Erebidae.

<i>Spilosoma virginica</i> Species of moth

Spilosoma virginica is a species of moth in the subfamily Arctiinae. As a caterpillar, it is known as the yellow woolly bear or yellow bear caterpillar. As an adult, it is known as the Virginian tiger moth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European corn borer</span> Species of moth

The European corn borer, also known as the European corn worm or European high-flyer, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It is a pest of grain, particularly maize. The insect is native to Europe, originally infesting varieties of millet, including broom corn. The European corn borer was first reported in North America in 1917 in Massachusetts, but was probably introduced from Europe several years earlier. Since its initial discovery in the Americas, the insect has spread into Canada and westwards across the United States to the Rocky Mountains.

<i>Spodoptera litura</i> Species of moth

Spodoptera litura, otherwise known as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leafworm, is a nocturnal moth in the family Noctuidae. S. litura is a serious polyphagous pest in Asia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent that was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. Its common names reference two of the most frequent host plants of the moth. In total, 87 species of host plants that are infested by S. litura are of economic importance. The species parasitize the plants through the larvae vigorous eating patterns, oftentimes leaving the leaves completely destroyed. The moth's effects are quite disastrous, destroying economically important agricultural crops and decreasing yield in some plants completely. Their potential impact on the many different cultivated crops, and subsequently the local agricultural economy, has led to serious efforts to control the pests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortricinae</span> Subfamily of tortrix moths

The Tortricinae are the nominate subfamily of tortrix moths. Commonly referred to as leafrollers, as the larvae build shelters by folding or rolling leaves of the food plant, the tortricinae include several notable pests as well species used as biological control agents against invasive weeds.

<i>Zygaena loti</i> Species of moth

Zygaena loti, the slender Scotch burnet, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae. It is a diurnal moth characterized by a black body, light colored legs, and red spots on its wings. The caterpillars are a yellow-green color and usually molt out of dormancy in late February to early March. The larvae feed on plants from the family Fabaceae until they enter their pupal stage and mature into adults in May to early June. For mating, Zygaenidae exhibit a dual-partner finding strategy, where females use pheromones while assuming a calling position, and males exhibit a patrolling behavior where they utilize both vision and the olfactory receptors in their antennae to locate a potential mate.

<i>Acleris variegana</i> Species of moth

Acleris variegana, the garden rose tortricid moth or fruit tortricid, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It has a Palearctic distribution. The moth flies from July to September mainly at night and is attracted to bright lights. The larvae feed on various trees and shrubs including rose and apple.

<i>Utetheisa ornatrix</i> Species of moth

Utetheisa ornatrix, also called the ornate bella moth, ornate moth, bella moth or rattlebox moth is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It is aposematically colored ranging from pink, red, orange and yellow to white coloration with black markings arranged in varying patterns on its wings. It has a wingspan of 33–46 mm. Moths reside in temperate midwestern and eastern North America as well as throughout Mexico and other parts of Central America. Unlike most moths, the bella moth is diurnal. Formerly, the bella moth or beautiful utetheisa of temperate eastern North America was separated as Utetheisa bella. Now it is united with the bella moth in Utetheisa ornatrix.

<i>Zygaena exulans</i> Species of moth

Zygaena exulans, the mountain burnet or Scotch burnet, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae.

<i>Aglaope</i> Genus of moths

Aglaope is a genus of moths of the family Zygaenidae.

<i>Zygaena lonicerae</i> Species of moth

Zygaena lonicerae, the narrow-bordered five-spot burnet, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae. The species was first described by Theodor Gottlieb von Scheven in 1777.

<i>Cryptophlebia ombrodelta</i> Species of moth

Cryptophlebia ombrodelta, the litchi fruit moth or macadamia nut borer, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. The species was first described by Oswald Bertram Lower in 1898. It is native to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, western Malaysia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, Guam, the Caroline Islands, Australia and has been introduced to Hawaii.

<i>Archips cerasivorana</i> Species of moth

Archips cerasivorana, the ugly-nest caterpillar moth, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. The caterpillars of this species are known to create nests by tying the leaves of their host plant together. Within the nests, they live and feed off the leaves that have been tied together. The larvae are brownish or greenish yellow with a shiny dark brown head. Larvae can be found from May to July. The species overwinters as an egg, and pupation takes place within the nest. Caterpillars are seen to follow one another in trails, a behavior prompted by the release of signaling pheromones from their spinnerets.

Several moth species are known as skeletonizers, including:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Almond tree leaf skeletonizer moth". HYPP Zoolog. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Heiko Bellmann; Wijnand Heitmans (2001). "Aglaope infausta". Insekten van Europa (Insects of Europe) (in Dutch). Universiteit van Amsterdam. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Aglaope infausta (Linnaeus, 1767) Aglaope des haies, Zygène des épines, Zygène de l'amandier". Papillons de Poitou-Charentes (in French). Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Wolfgang Wagner. "Aglaope infausta (Zwerg-Widderchen)". Schmetterlinge und ihre Ökologie (in German). Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  5. David James Carter (1984). Pest Lepidoptera of Europe: with special reference to the British Isles. Springer. p. 355. ISBN   978-90-6193-504-9.
  6. Thomas Schmitt; Alfred Seitz (2003). "Low diversity but high differentiation: the population genetics of Aglaope infausta (Zygaenidae: Lepidoptera)". Journal of Biogeography . 31 (1): 137–144. doi:10.1046/j.0305-0270.2003.01003.x. S2CID   82677752. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  7. Kauri Mikkola (2008). "The lock-and-key mechanisms of the internal genitalia of the Noctuidae (Lepidoptera)". European Journal of Entomology .
  8. C. Decamps; P. du Merle; C. Gourio; G. Luquet (1981). "L'attraction d'espèces du genre Zygaena F. par les substances pheromonal produites par tortricids (les Lépidoptères, Zygaenidae et Tortricidae)" [Attraction of species of the genus Zygaena F. by pheromonal substances produced by tortricids (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae and Tortricidae)]. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France . 17 (4): 441–447.