Catastega triangulana Brown

Eiseman, Charles S., Austin, Kyhl A., Blyth, Julia A. & Feldman, Tracy S., 2020, New records of leaf-mining Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) in North America, with the description of a new species of Grapholita, Zootaxa 4748 (3), pp. 514-530 : 515

Catastega triangulana Brown

( Figs. 1–6 )

Material examined. ARIZONA: Cochise Co., Miller Canyon , 3.iii.2017, em. 10.vi.2017, C.S. Eiseman & J.A. Blyth, ex Arctostaphylos pungens , # CSE3812 (1♀, CUIC) .

Host. Ericaceae : Arctostaphylos pungens Kunth.

Biology. The larva forms a full-depth, elongate, branching leaf mine, with some fecal pellets inside and some expelled through a hole adjacent to the midrib, where it may accumulate in a mass on the leaf surface ( Figs. 1–4 ). In captivity, the larva exited the mine and switched to window-feeding between veins, ultimately pupating between two tied leaves. Our single specimen was collected on 3 March and emerged as an adult on 10 June ( Figs. 5–6 ). The type series included adults collected in Arizona from 27 July to 5 August, as well as on 1 September and 10 and 17 October ( Brown 1992). These dates suggest there may be more than one generation.

Comments. This is the first definite host association for C. triangulana , although Brown (1992) tentatively identified as this species a specimen beaten from Arctostaphylos in Durango, Mexico. It is also the first confirmed record of leafmining in Catastega . Chambers (1878) stated that C. aceriella Clemens and C. timidella Clemens (both of which were known only from larvae at that time) initially feed as leafminers before constructing their characteristic tubes of frass, but this has not been repeated by later authors. At least in later instars, both species feed beneath sheets of silk that could conceivably be mistaken for the loosened lower epidermis of a leaf mine.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Catastega triangulana. 1: Leaf mine on Arctostaphylos pungens, upper surface; 2: Lower surface of same leaf, showing frass accumulation; 3–4: Backlit views of two other mines, showing frass inside; 5: Pupal exuviae; 6: Reared adult female.