146 Coptotriche crataegifoliae - Pigritia murtfeldtella

Moved

Moved from Pigritia.

… Aaron Hunt, 25 December, 2021 - 12:45am

Moved

… John R. Maxwell, 30 May, 2011 - 10:50am

Blastobasine

John's diagnosis is correct. This is a blastobasine coleophorid of the genus Pigritia, the genus placement being evinced by the very reduced (to the point of appearing to be absent) labial palpi. I can see why one might diagnose this moth as being one of the Rosaceae-feeding tischeriids, but here are some reasons why that diagnosis doesn't work. (1) Adult tischeriids are generally faithful about displaying the "jacked up in front" resting posture, which this moth isn't doing. (2) Tischeriids have a distinctive "fan-shaped" tuft on the head, whereas this moth has the "slicked down" head vestiture that is typical of Gelechioidea. (3) Blastobasines often tuck the head down ventrally so that in dorsal view they present a distinctive "torpedo" look in which the anterior end of the moth is broad and rounded, as seen in this photo (also, for example, here); tischeriids, on the other hand, do not present this look. And (4), although there is no way to go back and measure this moth, it bears mentioning that the smallest Pigritia is still half again as long as the largest of the Rosaceae-feeding tischeriids, which are very small microleps.

… Terry Harrison, 29 May, 2011 - 10:41am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 12 April, 2011 - 4:37pm

Who/how IDed

looks a lot like Blastobasinae, but I'm no expert.

… John R. Maxwell, 12 April, 2011 - 10:35am

It was identified by Merrill Lynch

My first impression was a Tischeria, but he pointed out some subtle differences in shape and wing edging that lead to this genus of 3 species. Of the three, this was clearly it. Microleps has some great pinned photos of the 3 together: http://www.microleps.org/Guide/Tischeriidae/Rosaceae_feeding/index.html

… Ali Iyoob, 12 April, 2011 - 10:39am