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Tegeticula carnerosanella Pellmyr

Olle Pellmyr
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Containing group: Tegeticula

Adult Characteristics

Wing expanse 20-27.5 mm. Forewing and hindwing white. Male genitalia with aedeagus 2.7 mm long, 0.02 mm in cross section; female genitalia with posterior apophyses 7.6-8.3 mm long, corpus bursae with signa 0.45-0.60 mm in diameter.

Comparison with Similar Species

Similar in forewing coloration to T. rostratella and, to a lesser extent, other members of the yuccasella complex, but readily distinguished from other members of the complex based on genitalic characters. A diagnostic key is provided.

Host, Oviposition, and Larval Feeding Habits

The species is known from the fleshy-fruited yucca Y. carnerosana, including Y. faxoniana, the giant dagger yucca. Females oviposit into flowers (Pellmyr 1999). Eggs are laid inside the ovary, between the wall and the ovules, generally in the upper portion.The larva feeds on developing seeds. Pupation occurs in a cocoon in the soil.

Geographic Distribution

The known range includes parts of western Texas, at northern edge of the host range. The host extends southward, and should be sought in Coahuila and San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

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Habitat

Typical habitat is shrub desert, where the host often constitutes a virtual forest. Altitudinal range 800-1800 m.

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Shrubby desert in Brewster Co., Texas, with the host Y. carnerosana is a typical habitat of the species.

Type

Holotype in USNM.

References

Pellmyr, O. 1999. Systematic revision of the Tegeticula yuccasella complex (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae) north of Mexico. Systematic Entomology 24:243-271.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Tegeticula carnerosanella
Location Brewster Co, Texas, USA
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Sex male (left), female (right)
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © 1996
About This Page


University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA

Page: Tree of Life Tegeticula carnerosanella Pellmyr. Authored by Olle Pellmyr. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Pellmyr, Olle. 1996. Tegeticula carnerosanella Pellmyr. Version 01 January 1996 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Tegeticula_carnerosanella/12456/1996.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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