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| Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera |
Cycnodiidae
Adults relatively long-bodied; medium built (wingspan more than 8 and less than 15 times the thoracic width); wings in repose packed with the forewings directed backwards to cover hindwings and abdomen.
Head smooth. Antennae of medium length to long; extending to about 0.75–0.8 times the length of the forewing. Antennae of males simple; non-ciliate. The antennal scape with a pecten (usually), or without a pecten; not forming an ‘eye cap’. Ocelli present, or absent. Chaetosemata absent (?). Maxillary palps much reduced; 1 segmented, or 2 segmented. Labial palps well developed, or short or rudimentary; drooping (then short), or ascending; 3 segmented. Proboscis fully developed; scaly towards the base.
Wingspan 7–12 mm; 10–11 times the thoracic width. Forewings narrow; about 3–3.6 times as long as wide (?). Tornus weakly defined. The outer margin convexly curved; forewings apically blunt to pointed; forewings predominantly shining-metallic, or exhibiting shining-metallic markings, or neither shining-metallic nor with shining metallic markings. Hindwings narrow-elongate and very long-fringed; lanceolate; very much narrower than the forewings to quite markedly narrower than the forewings; with a pointed apex. The fringe of the hindwings 2–5 times the width of the membrane. The upper surfaces plain; with neither discal spot nor transverse lines; hindwings with a frenulum.
Neuration of forewings and hindwings dissimilar. Forewings 10–12 veined (often lacking veins 5 and 8, and sometimes 4); with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the forewings representing 1b only, or comprising 1b and 1c. Forewings exhibiting a tubular vein 1c (distally), or lacking a tubular vein 1c. Vein 1b of the forewings simple. The transverse vein complete. Discal cell of the forewings without a tubular media (M) vein. Hindwings with well developed neuration, or with greatly reduced neuration; 5–9 veined (vein 5 absent, and sometimes also vein 4); with 1 anal vein, or with 2 anal veins, or with 3 anal veins, or lacking anal veins. The anal veins of the hindwings when present, representing 1b only, or comprising 1b and 1c, or comprising 1a, 1b and 1c. Hindwings exhibiting vein 1a, or lacking vein 1a; exhibiting a tubular vein 1c, or lacking a tubular vein 1c. Vein 1b of the hindwings simple. Hindwings with a discal cell to without a discal cell. The transverse vein incomplete, or lacking. Vein 8 of the hindwings completely independent of the cell; not approximating to vein 7.
Fore-legs with a tibial epiphysis. Tibiae of middle legs 2-spurred. Posterior tibiae 4-spurred; hairy.
Eggs, larvae and pupae. Eggs smooth or minutely pitted (?). Larval prolegs 10. Larvae concealed feeders; nearly always leaf-mining (rarely in the stems). The numerous species of Elachista in leaves of Gramineae, Juncaceae or Cyperaceae, the single species of Perittia and Stephensia in those of Lonicera and Calamintha, respectively.
Pupae exposed, with no coccoon, or concealed (then in a cocoon); when exposed, not suspended, but attached at the tail and secured by a median girdle of silk; on the surface of the ground, or above the ground (?). Empty pupae not becoming protruded.
British representation. Genera 5 (1 adventive only); 42 species (one adventive). Elachista gleichenella, Elachista gangabella, etc.
Classification. Microlepidoptera. Suborder Ditrysia. Superfamily Gelechioidea.
Illustrations. • Elachista maculicerusella (as cerusella), E. poae and E. humilis (as airae): Stainton 3, III (1858). ELACHISTIDAE. 1, Elachista maculicerusella: imago (1m), larva (1a), and mined Phragmites leaf (1b). 2, Elachista poae: imago (2m), larva (2a), and mined leaf blade of Glyceria maxima (2b). 3, Elachista humilis: imago (3m) male and female, larva (3a), and mined leaf of Deschampsia caespitosa (3b). Stainton 3, III (1858). • Stainton 3, III (1858): original legend.. • Elachista bedellella, E. argentella (as cygnipennella) and E. tetragonella: Stainton 3, IV (1858). ELACHISTIDAE. 1, Elachista bedellella. Larva (1a), and mined leaf blades of Helictotrichon pratense (1b). 2, Elachista argentella. Larva (2a), and a mined leaf blade of Bromus erectus (2b). 3, Elachista tetragonella. Larva (3a), and a sprig of Carex montana exhibiting a mined leaf blade (3b). Stainton 3, IV (1858). • Elachista gangabella, E. bisulcella (as zonariella) and Cosmiotes freyerella (as E. gregsoni): Stainton 3, V (1858). ELACHISTIDAE. 1, Elachista gangabella: imago, male and female (1m); larva (1a), and two mined leaves of Dactylis glomerata (1b). 2, Elachista bisulcella: imago (2m), larva (2a), and mined leaf of Deschampsia caespitosa (2b). 3, Cosmiotes freyerella: imago (3m), male and female; larva (3a), and two mined leaves of a Poa sp. (3b). Stainton 3, V (1858). • Stainton 3, V (1858): original legend.. • Biselachista cinereopunctella, Elachista gleichenella, Elachista biatomella: Stainton 3, VI (1858). ELACHISTIDAE. 1, Biselachista cinereopunctella: imago (1m), larva (1a), mined leaves of Carex flacca (1b), and pupa (1c). 2, Elachista gleichenella: imago (2m), larva (2a), and mined leaves of Carex echinata (2b). 3, Elachista biatomella: imago (3m), larva (3a), and (3b) a plant of Carex flacca with a mined leaf, plus a detached leaf with a young mine. Stainton 3, VI (1858). • Stainton 3, VI (1858): original legend.. • Elachista utonella, E. subnigrella and E. quadrella (= ?): Stainton 3, VII (1858). ELACHISTIDAE. 1, Elachista utonella: imago (1m), larva (1a), and mined leaf of Carex flacca (1b). 2, Elachista subnigrella: imago (2m), larva (2a), mined leaves of Bromus erectus (2b), and pupa (2c). 3, Elachista quadrella, = ? (cf. E. quadrella Hübner?): imago (3m), larva (3a), and mined leaf of Luzula pilosa (3b). Stainton 3, VII (1858). • Stainton 3, VII (1858): original legend.. • Elachista spp.: Stainton (1859). GELECHIOIDEA. Elachistidae: 1, Elachista gangabella; 2, Elachista maculicerusella; 3, Elachista gleichenella. Gelechiidae: 4, Teleiodes luculella; 5, Pseudotelphusa scalella; 6, Hypatima rhomboidella; 7, Recurvaria leucatella. From Stainton (1859, with approximate wingspans added). • Stainton's representative 'Tineina'. Stainton's TINEINA (Elachistidae italicised). 2, Ochsenheimeria birdella; 3, Tinea ganomella; 4, Eriocrania salopiella; 5, Nemophora metallica; 6, Swammerdamia pyrella; 7, Yponomeuta sedella; 8, Plutella xylostella; 9, Ypsolopha dentella; 10, Agonopterix alstroemeriana; 11, Pexicopia malvella; 12, Chrysoesthia drurella; 13, Ypsolopha parenthesella; 14, Schiffermuelleria grandis; 15, Scythris grandipennis; 16, Glyphipteryx equitella; 17, Heliozela resplendella; 18, Argyresthia bonnetella; 19, Caloptilia alchimiella; 20, Coleophora lineola; 21, Bedellia somnulentella; 22, Cosmopteryx lienigiella; 23, Mompha propinquella; 24, Elachista gangabella; 25, Elachista maculicerusella; 26, Emmetia marginea; 27, Phyllonorycter acerifoliella; 28, Phyllonorycter stettinensis; 29, Leucoptera malifoliella; 30, Ectoedemia sericopeza. From Stainton (1854, Plate IX). • Elachista argentella. • Larvae of 'Tineina' (Stainton). 1, OECOPHORIDAE: Diurnea fagella larva, and (1a) shown between united birch leaves. 2, PSYCHIDIDAE: Taleporia(?) larva, showing cases attached to lichen (2a), and a single case enlarged. 3, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Ochsenheimeria taurella, and (3a) a section of grass stem showing the larva in situ. 4, TINEIDAE: Tineola bisselliella, with a gallery formed in feathers (4a); 4b, a case of Tinea pellionella on a feather. 5, INCURVARIIDAE: Incurvaria praelatella, with a partially devoured wild strawberry leaf (5a), and a case from the underside. 6, Incurvaria pectinea, and (6a) the larva in its case feeding on a fallen oak leaf. 7, Lampronia capitella, with (7a) a currant shoot withering from the effects of the larva feeding in the stem. 8, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Swammerdamia pyrella, with (8a) the larva in its web between united cherry leaves. 9, Yponomeutidae-Plutellinae: Plutella porrectella, and (9a) feeding on a Hesperis leaf. 10, GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE: Orthotelia sparganella, with (10a) an eaten stem of Sparganium. 11. OECOPHORIDAE: Depressaria sp., with (11a) a leaf of Centaurea nigra distorted by its attentions. 12, GELECHIIDAE: Anacampsis temerella, with (12a) a sallow leaf tenanted by it. 13, Metzneria aestivella, with (13a) a sectioned fruiting head of Carlina showing the feeding larva in situ. 14, OECOPHORIDAE: Crassa unitella, and (14a) a piece of decayed wood burrowed by the larvae. 15, GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE: Glyphipteryx equitella, with (15a) shoots of Sedum acre showing the middle one bleached by excavations of the larva. 16, YPONOMEUTIDAE: Argyresthia bonnetella, with (16a) hawthorn shoots eaten by the larva. 17, GRACILLARIIDAE: Caloptilia alchimiella, with (17a) an oak lead exhibiting a cone formed by the larva. 18, OECOPHORIDAE: Agonopterix angelicella, with (18a) its cone on a hawthorn leaf. 19, COLEOPHORIDAE: Coleophora follicularis, with (19a) a mined leaf of Eupatorium, and (19b) the case enlarged. 20, LYONETIIDAE: Bedellia somnulentella, with (20a) a mined Convolvulus arvensis leaf. 21, EPERMENIIDAE: Epermenia chaerophyllellus, with (21a) a portion of Anthriscus sylvestris leaf eaten half through by it. 22, MOMPHIDAE: Chrysoclista linneella, with (22a) a piece of inner bark of lime burrowed by it. 23, ELACHISTIDAE: Elachista maculicerusella. with (23a) a mined Phragmites leaf blade. 24, TISCHERIIDAE: Emmetia marginea, and (24a) a mined bramble leaf. 25, GRACILLARIIDAE: Phyllonorycter quinnata, with (25a) a mined Carpinus leaf. 26, LYONETIIDAE: Leucoptera laburnella, with (26a) a mined Laburnum leaf. 27, Bucculatrix bechsteinella (Bucculatricidae), and a hawthorn leaf eaten half through. 28, NEPTICULIDAE: Nepticula sp., with (28a) a mined Potentilla leaf. From Stainton (1854, Plate X). • Elachista rufocinerea, neuration.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the families of Lepidoptera. Version: 14th April 2022. delta-intkey.com’.
