Phyllonorycter melanosparta

Phyllonorycter melanosparta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gracillariidae
Genus: Phyllonorycter
Species: P. melanosparta
Binomial name
Phyllonorycter melanosparta
(Meyrick, 1912)[1]
Synonyms
  • Lithocolletis melanosparta Meyrick, 1912

Phyllonorycter melanosparta is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is known from South Africa, Zimbabwe[2] and western Kenya. The habitat consists of secondary woodland where forest flora intermixes with savannah plants.

The length of the forewings is 2.5–2.8 mm. The forewing ground colour is ferruginous-ochreous with blackish fuscous markings. The hindwings are pale grey with a silver shine and a long pale fuscous fringe. Adults are on wing from late December to late January and from late March to July.[3]

The larvae feed on Desmodium repandum, Flemingia grahamiana, Hylodesmum repandum, Rhynchosia caribaea and Vigna species. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a moderate, oval, semi-transparent, tentiform mine on the upperside of the leaf.

References


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