Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ancylosis morrisonella Ragonot, 1887
Heterographis morrisonella Ragonot, 1887
Heterographis coloradensis Ragonot, 1887
Mona olbiella Hulst, 1888
(1)
Heterographis ignistrigella Ragonot, 1901
Heterographis palloricostella Walter, 1928
* phylogenetic sequence #175650
Explanation of Names
Named in honor of lepidopterist H.K. Morrison.
Size
Forewing length 5.5-10.5 mm.
(2)
Identification
Adult - extremely variable, from mostly clay white with light markings to mostly dark reddish gray.
(3)Range
Utah through the deserts to coastal California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
(2),
(4)
Also Colorado according to Heinrich
(3)Habitat
Deserts and coastal areas.
Food
Pierce reared them on
silver burr ragweed (
Ambrosia chamissonis, =Franseria bipinnatifada). Heinrich suggests other Asteraceae and Powell & Opler report that the caterpillars feed on burried leaves.
Life Cycle
The larva lives in a silken tube in the sand.
(2)Print References
Dyar, H.G. 1905. New North American Lepidoptera and synonymical notes. Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington 7(1):
38 (
Mona olbiella)
(1)
Heinrich, C. 1956. American moths of the subfamily Phycitinae. USNM Bulletin 207:
194.
(3)
Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. p.194, pl.26.10m
(2)
Ragnot, E.L. 1887. Diagnoses of North American Phycitidae and Galleriidae. impr. de Grandremy et Hénon. p.20
Contributed by
Kyhl Austin on 3 March, 2016 - 10:32pm
Additional contributions by
Steve MorrisLast updated 20 November, 2022 - 7:02pm
