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LYONETIIDAE | Cemiostominae
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21.005 Leucoptera spartifoliella (Broom Stem-miner)
ws: 7-9mm (MBGBI2); Jun-Jul; broom (Sarothamnus scoparius), dyer's greenweed (Genista tinctoria); common throughout GB
Leucoptera spartifoliella §1 male
ID: From key in MBGBI2 (p214) - Forewing white (excludes L.lotella & L.malifoliella); hindwing white (excludes L.orobi & L.lathyrifoliella); proximal margin of first costal strigula extending halfway across forewing (extends nearly to tornus in L.sinuella (which has been presumed extinct in GB since the 1950s);* > L.laburnella/spartifoliella. These are distinguished in the key on features of the forewing underside - there is a reddish suffusion in both species: in L.laburnella it terminates in a diffuse diagonal line from mid-costa to tornus; in L.spartifoliella it either reaches the apex or terminates in a line perpendicular to the costa. L.laburnella has a yellowish apical spot which is not usually seen in L.spartifoliella.
* MBGBI2 distinguishes L.wailesella with a smaller size (ws 5-7mm) and the antennal apex only slightly paler than rest of flagellum - the RES Checklist regards L.wailesella as synonymous with L.laburnella
Male genitalia: L.laburnella and L.spartifoliella are illustrated inMBGBI2 (fig 89 p216) and shown at Dissection Group. L.laburnella has an incision in the bulb of the aedeagus and the shaft is much narrower (~1/5) than the bulb; in L.spartifoliella the bulb is entire and the shaft is about half the diameter of the bulb. In L.spartifoliella the costae show a distinct subapical tooth which is not seen in L.laburnella.
* MBGBI2 distinguishes L.wailesella with a smaller size (ws 5-7mm) and the antennal apex only slightly paler than rest of flagellum - the RES Checklist regards L.wailesella as synonymous with L.laburnella
Male genitalia: L.laburnella and L.spartifoliella are illustrated inMBGBI2 (fig 89 p216) and shown at Dissection Group. L.laburnella has an incision in the bulb of the aedeagus and the shaft is much narrower (~1/5) than the bulb; in L.spartifoliella the bulb is entire and the shaft is about half the diameter of the bulb. In L.spartifoliella the costae show a distinct subapical tooth which is not seen in L.laburnella.
§1 Anagach Woods, Moray; 01/07/2021; male; fw 3.6mm; netted by day
§2 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
§3 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
§4 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
§3 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
§4 Boblainy Forest, Inverness-shire; 25/06/2022; male; beaten from broom
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 07/07/2021 (§1) | §2-4 added 09/10/2022
