Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae is an important family of insects in the order Lepidoptera and the principal family of leaf miners that includes several economic, horticultural or recently invasive pest species such as the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella.
Taxonomy and systematics
There are 98 described genera of Gracillariidae (see "Subfamilies and Genera"). A complete checklist is available of all currently recognised species (de Prins and de Prins 2005). There are many undescribed species in the tropics but there is also an online catalogue of Afrotropical described species [1]; the South African fauna is quite well known. Although Japanese and Russian authors have recognised additional subfamilies (de Prins and de Prins, 2005), there are three currently recognised subfamilies, Phyllocnistinae of which is likely to be basal. In this subfamily, the primitive genus Prophyllocnistis from Chile feeds on the plant genus Drimys (Winteraceae), and has leaf mines structurally similar in structure to fossils (Davis, 1994) (see "Fossils"). While there have been some recent DNA sequence-based studies of Palaearctic species (Lopez-Vaamonde et al., 2003, 2006), there is need for a satisfactory modern global phylogenetic framework for the subfamilies of Gracillaridae. Some genera are very large, e.g. Acrocercops, Caloptilia, Cameraria, Epicephala and Phyllonorycter.
Distribution
Gracillariidae occurs in all terrestrial regions of the World except Antarctica.
Identification
These generally small (wingspan 5–20 mm.) moths and are leaf miners as caterpillars[2] which can provide a useful means of identification especially if the hostplant is known. The subfamilies differ by the adult moth resting posture (Davis and Robinson, 1999). Most Gracillariinae rest with the front of the body steeply raised; Lithocolletinae and Phyllocnistinae rest with the body parallel to the surface, or in Lithocolletinae often with the head lowered.
Life history
The first to fifth-instar larvae are flattened and possess specialised mouthparts adapted for feeding on sap. Older-instar larvae are cylindrical and have normal chewing mouthparts for feeding on plant tissue within the leaf mines, and have a fully functional silk-producing organ the "spinneret". Some genera have an intermediate stage in this remarkable hypermetamorphosis (Davis and Robinson, 1999).
Larval hostplants
Many hostplants are known, generally dicotyledonous trees or shrubs [3]. Patterns of hostplant shifting have been inferred for many United Kingdom species in the genus Phyllonorycter and its sister genus Cameraria (Lopez-Vaamonde et al., 2003). Another recent DNA sequencing study mainly of Palaearctic species has shown that the burst of evolutionary adaptive radiation occurred long after that of the larval hostplants, rather than demonstrating a tight coevolutionary process (Lopez-Vaamonde et al., 2006).
Fossils
The family is an old one, with fossil Phyllocnistinae mines known from 97 million old rocks in Kansas and Nebraska (Labandeira et al. 1994). There are other fossil mines known from rocks of Eocene and Miocene age (de Prins and de Prins, 2005). There are also two adult moths are known from Lithuanian or Baltic amber of Eocene age: Gracillariites lithuanicus Kozlov, 1987 and G. mixtus Kozlov, 1987) (de Prins and de Prins, 2005).
Subfamilies and Genera
- Phyllocnistinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1857
- Gracillariinae Stainton, 1854
- Gracillaria Haworth, 1928
- =Gracilaria Zeller, 1839
- =Gracilaria Walsingham, 1907
- =Xanthospilapteryx Spuler, 1910
- Acrocercops Wallengren, 1881
- Africephala Vári, 1986
- Amblyptila Vári, 1961
- Apistoneura Vári, 1961
- Apophthisis Braun, 1915
- Aristaea Meyrick, 1907
- Artifodina Kumata, 1985
- Aspilapteryx Spuler, 1910
- =Sabulopteryx Triberti, 1985
- Borboryctis Kumata & Kurokoo, 1988
- Callicercops Vári, 1961
- Callisto Stephens, 1834
- =Annickia Gibeaux, 1990
- Caloptilia Hübner, 1825
- =PoeciloptiliaHübner, 1825
- =Ornix Collar, 1832
- =Ornix Treitschke, 1833
- =Coriscium Zeler, 1839
- =Calliptilia Agassiz, 1847
- =Timodora meyrick, 1886
- =Antiolopha Meyrick, 1894
- =Sphyrophora Vári, 1961
- =Phylloptilia Kumata, 1982
- =Rhadinoptilia Kumata, 1982
- =Minyoptilia Kumata, 1982
- =Cecidoptilia Kumata, 1982
- Calybites Hübner, 1822
- Chilocampyla Busck, 1900
- Chrysocercops Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Conopobathra Vári, 1961
- Conopomorpha Meyrick, 1885
- Conopomorphina Vári, 1961
- Corethrovalva Vári, 1961
- Cryptolectica Vári, 1961
- Cryptologa Fletcher, 1921
- Cupedia Klimesch & Kumata, 1973
- Cuphodes Meyrick, 1897
- Cyphosticha Meyrick, 1907
- Dekeidoryxis Kumata, 1989
- Dendrorycter Kumata, 1978
- Deoptilia Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Dextellia Triberti, 1986
- Dialectica Walsingham, 1897
- Diphtheroptila Vári, 1961
- Dysectopa Vári, 1961
- Ectropina Vári, 1961
- Epicephala Meyrick, 1980
- =Iraina Diakonoff, 1955
- =Leiocephala Kuznetzov & Baryschnikova, 2001
- Epicnistis Meyrick, 1906
- Eteoryctis Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Eucalybites Kumata, 1982
- Eucosmophora Walsingham, 1897
- Euprophantis Meyrick, 1921
- Eurytyla Meyrick, 1893
- Euspilapteryx Stephens, 1835
- Gibbovalva Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Graphiocephala Vári, 1961
- Hypectopa Diakonoff, 1955
- Ketapangia Kumata, 1995
- Lamprolectica Vári, 1961
- Leucanthiza Clemens, 1859
- Leucocercops Vári, 1961
- Leucospilapteryx Spuler, 1910
- Liocrobyla Meyrick, 1916
- Macarostola Meyrick, 1907
- Marmara Clemens, 1863
- Melanocercops Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Metacercops Vári, 1961
- Micrurapteryx Spuler, 1910
- Monocercops Kumata, 1989
- Neurobathra Ely, 1918
- Neurolipa Ely, 1918
- Neurostrota Ely, 1918
- Oligoneurina Vári, 1961
- Ornixola Kuznetzov, 1979
- Pareclectis Meyrick, 1937
- Parectopa Clemens, 1860
- Parornix Spuler, 1910
- =Alfaornix Kuznetzov, 1979
- =Betaornix Kuznetzov, 1979
- =Deltaornix Kuznetzov, 1979
- =Gammaornix Kuznetzov, 1979
- Penica Walsingham, 1914
- Philodoria Walsingham, 1907
- =Euphilodoria Zimmermann, 1978
- Phodoryctis Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Phrixosceles Meyrick, 1908
- Pleiomorpha Vári, 1961
- Pogonocephala Vári, 1961
- Polydema Vári, 1961
- Polymitia Triberti, 1986
- Polysoma Vári, 1961
- Psydrocercops Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Sauterina Kuznetzov, 1979
- Schedocercops Vári, 1961
- Semnocera Vári, 1961
- Spanioptila Walsingham, 1897
- Spulerina Vári, 1961
- Stomphastis Meyrick, 1912
- Synnympha Meyrick, 1915
- Systoloneura Vári, 1961
- Telamoptilia Kumata & Kuroko, 1988
- Lithocolletinae Stainton, 1854
- Cameraria Chapman, 1902
- Chrysaster Kumata, 1961
- Cremastobombycia Braun, 1908
- Hyloconis Kumata, 1963
- Macrosaccus Davis and De Prins, 2011
- Neolithocolletis Kumata, 1963
- Phyllonorycter Hübner, 1822
- =Lithocolletis Hübner, 1825
- =Eucestis Hübner, 1825
- =Hirsuta Fletcher, 1929
- Porphyrosela Braun, 1908
- Protolithocolletis Braun, 1929
- Subfamily Oecophyllembiinae (disputed)
- Subfamily unassigned
- Unplaced species
- "Ornix" blandella Müller-Rutz, 1920, this species was described from Switzerland. Larvae were recorded feeding on Salix. The present taxonomic status is unknown.
- "Gracilaria" confectella Walker, 1864
- "Gracilaria" delicatulella Walker, 1864
- "Phyllonorycter" fennicella Hering, 1924, this species was described from Finland. The larval hostplant is probably a Salix species. The present taxonomic status is unknown, but is probably a junior subjective synonym of Lithocolletis viminetorum or Lithocolletis salictella.
- "Lithocolletis" graeseriella Sorhagen, 1900, see Phyllonorycter
- "Lithocolletis" italica Herrich-Schäffer, 1855, this species was described from Italy. The Present taxonomic status is unknown.
- "Ornix" jyngipennella Heydenreich, 1851, Nomen nudum.
- "Lithocolletis" lativitella Sorhagen, 1900, this species was described from Germany. Larvae were recorded feeding on Sorbus aria and Pyrus scandinavica. The present taxonomic status is unknown. It might be a synonym of Tinea lantanella Schrank, 1802.
- "Lithocolletis" norvegicella Strand, 1919, this species was described from Norway. The present taxonomic status is unknown.
- "Gracillaria" pistaciella Rondani, 1876, this species was described from Italy. Larvae were recorded feeding on Pistacia terebinthus.
- "Ornix" quercella Müller-Rutz, 1934, this species was described from Switzerland. Larvae were probably bred from a mine on a Quercus species. The present taxonomic status is unknown.
- "Phyllonorycter" sessilifoliella Hering, 1957, this species was recorded from southern France, where it was said to have been reared on a Quercus species. Nomen nudum.
References
- Davis, D.R. (1994). "New leaf-mining moths from Chile, with remarks on the history and composition of Phyllocnistinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)". Tropical Lepidoptera 5 (1): 65–74.
- Davis, D.R, and Robinson, G.S. (1999). The Tineoidea and Gracillarioidea. In: Kristensen, N.P. (ed.), Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies, 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie 4 (35): 91-117. Walter de Gruyter. Berlin, New York.
- de Prins, W., and de Prins, J. (.2005). Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera). World Catalogue of Insects, Volume 6. Apollo Book, Stenstrup. ISBN 87-88757-64-1.
- Labandeira, C.C., Dilcher, D.L., Davis, D.R. and Wagner, D.L. 1994. Ninety-Seven Million Years of Angiosperm-Insect Association: Paleobiological Insights into the Meaning of Coevolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 91(25): 12278-12282. pdf
- Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Godfray, H.C.J. and Cook, J.M. (2003). Evolutionary dynamics of host-plant use in a genus of leaf-mining moths. Evolution, 57(8): 1804-1821. Abstract
- Lopez-Vaamonde, C., Wikström, N., Labandeira, C., Godfray, H.C.J., Goodman, S.J. and Cook, J.M. 2006. Fossil-calibrated molecular phylogenies reveal that leaf-mining moths radiated millions of years after their host plants. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19 (4): 1314-1326.Abstract
External links