Macrosaccus gliricidius

Macrosaccus gliricidius
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gracillariidae
Genus:	Macrosaccus
Species:	M. gliricidius
Binomial name
Macrosaccus gliricidius Davis, 2011

Macrosaccus gliricidius is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Central America (such as Honduras) and the West Indies (such as Guadeloupe).[1]

The length of the forewings is 2.2–2.6 mm.[1]

The larvae feed on Gliricidia sepium.[1] They mine the leaves of their host plant.[1] The mine begins as an elongate serpentine track which abruptly enlarges to an elongate-oval, whitish blotch located on either the upper or lower side of the leaflet. When present on the under side, the blotch mines usually develop along the midrib. Only the upperside blotch mines occurred directly on top of the midrib.[1]

Etymology

The species name is derived from the generic name of its host, Gliricidia.[1]

Gallery

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  Blotch mine
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  Damage
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  Tissue feeding instar
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  Open blotch mine with single cocoon
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  Pupa with cocoon removed

References

1. Donald R Davis; Jurate De Prins (13 May 2011). "Systematics and biology of the new genus Macrosaccus with descriptions of two new species (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae)". ZooKeys. 98 (98): 29–82. doi:10.3897/ZOOKEYS.98.925. ISSN 1313-2989. PMC 3095132. PMID 21594070. Wikidata Q21127871. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.