37.008 Coleophora adjectella (Southern Case-bearer)
ws:9-10mm; Jun-Aug; blackthorn (Prunus spinosa); RDB in scrub in S&SE.England
ID: Forewing plain with a pale costa; antenna ringed.
Male Genitalia: Sacculus without a posterior process; sacculus extending about as far as valva; sacculus ending laterally in a process that comes to a point; subapical process present, about as long as wide; ws9-10mm, antenna ringed to apex; apex of sacculus curves through 90 degrees to cross the valva.
Very similar to C.milvipennis and C.badiipenella. C.milvipennis is larger (ws 10.5-13.0mm) and the apical 1/4 of its antenna is unringed. In C.badiipennella the apex of the sacculus curves obtuseley to run along the ventral edge of the valva.
The aedeagus is drawn somewhat differently in MBGBI3 for these 3 species (though these differences cannot be confirmed with any degree of reliability from the images at Dissection Group): C.adjectella - cornutus a narrow band running from near apex almost to juxta; C.badiipennella - a short patch of fine cornuti about midway between juxta and apex; C.milvipennis - no cornuti apical to juxta, a small patch of cornuti in vesica a short distance anterior to juxta. If these differences are valid, C.adjectella is the best fit.
MBGBI3 also gives dark-tipped scales over much of the forewing in C.badiipennella and not dark-tipped or only dark-tipped at apex in C.adjectella. The costal stripe is described as: C.adjectella "indistinctly pale ochreous-yellow to just beyond middle"; C.badiipennella "whitish streak, gradually becoming ochreous, reaching 3/5"; C.milvipennis "broad creamy-white streak to just beyond middle". (These features are difficult to judge in §1 as it is very worn, but I can't see any dark-tipped scales and the costal stripe is so indistinct that I originally looked to identify this specimen in Group B).
Male Genitalia: Sacculus without a posterior process; sacculus extending about as far as valva; sacculus ending laterally in a process that comes to a point; subapical process present, about as long as wide; ws9-10mm, antenna ringed to apex; apex of sacculus curves through 90 degrees to cross the valva.
Very similar to C.milvipennis and C.badiipenella. C.milvipennis is larger (ws 10.5-13.0mm) and the apical 1/4 of its antenna is unringed. In C.badiipennella the apex of the sacculus curves obtuseley to run along the ventral edge of the valva.
The aedeagus is drawn somewhat differently in MBGBI3 for these 3 species (though these differences cannot be confirmed with any degree of reliability from the images at Dissection Group): C.adjectella - cornutus a narrow band running from near apex almost to juxta; C.badiipennella - a short patch of fine cornuti about midway between juxta and apex; C.milvipennis - no cornuti apical to juxta, a small patch of cornuti in vesica a short distance anterior to juxta. If these differences are valid, C.adjectella is the best fit.
MBGBI3 also gives dark-tipped scales over much of the forewing in C.badiipennella and not dark-tipped or only dark-tipped at apex in C.adjectella. The costal stripe is described as: C.adjectella "indistinctly pale ochreous-yellow to just beyond middle"; C.badiipennella "whitish streak, gradually becoming ochreous, reaching 3/5"; C.milvipennis "broad creamy-white streak to just beyond middle". (These features are difficult to judge in §1 as it is very worn, but I can't see any dark-tipped scales and the costal stripe is so indistinct that I originally looked to identify this specimen in Group B).
Male genitalia
§1 Belfairs Woods, Essex; 18/07/2014; male; fw 4.9mm
All images © Chris Lewis
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 18/01/2015 (§1)