Identification
The following key is a diluted version of Braun's (1908)
(1) key to
Cameraria (the western species and non-oak feeders are removed;
C. arcuella, described from QC and VA, and
C. cervina, described from NY, are left in because their hosts are unknown). It does not include
C. macrocarpae, which was described in 1970. The forewing of
C. macrocarpae is shining golden ochreous with three equally spaced, transverse, angulated, white fasciae.
A. Oblique costal and dorsal streaks; fasciae, if present, distinctly angulated; never two straight fasciae.
... B. Ground color of the forewings white ... hamadryadella.
... BB. Ground color of the forewings not white.
...... C. An oblique white streak or patch at the base of the dorsal margin; usually two angulated fasciae.
......... D. A tuft of brown scales in the apical cilia ... macrocarpella.
......... DD. No such scales ... cincinnatiella.
...... CC. No such pale streak at base of dorsum.
......... D. Dorsal margin white from base to beyond middle.
............ E. Dorso-basal streak extending to oblique streak above the cilia.
............... F. Antennae annulate with brown for their whole length ... conglomeratella.
............... FF. Basal third of antennae pure white ... ulmella.
............ EE. Dorso-basal streak extending but little beyond the middle of the dorsal margin ... quercivorella.
......... DD. Dorsal margin not white.
............ E. Dorsal streak beyond fascia oblique ... australisella.
............ EE. Dorsal streak beyond fascia perpendicular or absent.
............... F. With two costal streaks or spots before the white streak or spot forming the anterior edge of the apical dusting.
.................. G. Costal streaks unmargined ... chambersella.
.................. GG. Costal streaks margined.
..................... H. Ground color of wings pale, with a coppery lustre toward the apex; marks very indistinct ... cervina.
..................... HH. Ground color saffron, marks white ... platanoidiella.
............... FF. With at most one costal streak before the white streak or spot forming the anterior edge of the apical dusting.
.................. G. Median fascia but slightly angulated; other white marks small or absent.
..................... H. Costal and dorsal streaks absent ... fasciella.
..................... HH. Costal and dorsal streaks present ... castaneaeella.
.................. GG. Median fascia sharply angulated; white marks conspicuous.
..................... H. First dorsal streak long, oblique, curved ... fletcherella.
..................... HH. First dorsal streak perpendicular.
........................ I. External dusting at angle of fascia produced backward; apex densely dusted ... bethunella.
........................ II. Externally margin of fascia not produced ... arcuella [Size large (10 mm.); first dorsal streak very large]
AA. Two straight or nearly straight fasciae, nearer the base on the dorsal margin.
... B. No costal or dorsal streaks beyond fasciae ... tubiferella.
... BB. A costal and a dorsal streak at three-fourths ... obstrictella.
Remarks
At least 16 eastern Cameraria species mine oak leaves, and for the most part the mines cannot be identified without rearing adults.
Cameraria australisella
Cameraria bethunella
Cameraria castaneaeella
Cameraria chambersella
Cameraria cincinnatiella
Cameraria conglomeratella
Cameraria fasciella
Cameraria fletcherella
Cameraria hamadryadella
Cameraria macrocarpae
Cameraria macrocarpella
Cameraria obstrictella
Cameraria platanoidiella
Cameraria quercivorella
Cameraria tubiferella
Cameraria ulmella
See Also
These mines are distinctive, but no one knows which species is responsible for them.
