15.085 Phyllonorycter joannisi (Norway Maple Leaf-miner)
ws:8mm; bivoltine May-Jun, Jul-Sep; Norway maple (Acer platanoides); locally common in SE.England
Synonym: P.platanoidella (MBGBI2)
Synonym: P.platanoidella (MBGBI2)
Phyllonorycter joannisi §1 male
ID: Forewing with sufficient white that the strigulae appear as dark markings on a pale background; C1D1 meet to form an obtuse-angled fascia; C2D2 meet at ~90° and connected to C3D3 which is much less distinct > P.acerifoliella / P.joannisi. MBGBI2 p356 illustrates a difference between the species based on C1D1meeting at a more acute angle in P.acerifoliella. According to the text in the Swedish "Nationalnyckeln till Sveriges flora och fauna - section Gracillariidae: Phyllonorycter" in P.acerifoliella and P.joannisi C1D1 meets at 90° and this angle is slightly blunt in P.joannisi, (the C1D1 angle is acute in P.geniculella). The key in the same volume distinguishes P.joannisi as having an obtuse C1D1 angle, 90° in P.acerifoliella. The accompanying illustrations show an obtuse angle for both species. When comparing images labelled as these two species, I have not found either a more obtuse angle or a more blunt angle in P.joannisi to be a reliable means of separating the species.
Male genitalia: Both species are shown at Moth Dissection - there is one image of P.joannisi and 4 of P.acerifoliella. Both species have asymmetric valvae with the left being considerably broader than the right; the left valva has a robust curved subapical spine and the right usually has a shorter slender straighter spine at ~¾. There is some intraspecific variablity in valval features and these cannot be be used to distinguished these two species. According to the text in the Swedish literature referenced above the crucial (and only) difference between the species is that the saccus is slightly longer in P.joannisi, but any difference is not perceptible in comparing the male genitalia illustrations in the same publication. Confusingly in "Atlas des lepidopteres gracillariidae lithocilletinae de France" the saccus is illustrated to be longer in P.acerifoliella than in P.joannisi; I have concluded that this is an error. One of the images at Moth Dissection has an inset showing a very short stubby saccus, another also has a short stubby saccus, in a third it is a little longer and in the 4th it cannot be identified. In the one image of P.joannisi the saccus is distinctly longer and consistent with §1 here being correctly identified as P.joannisi. The saccus of §4 & 5 is more borderline and similar to the image labelled as P.acerifoliella at Moth Dissection with the longer saccus. I have made the assumption for now that I am only getting one of these species in my garden (the only place I have so far found this/these species). Having said that, the only Acer species I can find in the locality is A.palmatum (Japanese Maple) which doesn't support either of the Phyllonorycter species.
Female genitalia: Both species are shown at Moth Dissection - there is are 3 images (4 specimens) of P.joannisi and 1 of P.acerifoliella. The female genitalia of P.joannisi and P.acerifoliella are also almost identical. According to the Swedish volume the ostial plate (sterigma) of P.joannisi is larger and shows some longitudinal wrinkles (implying that these are absent in P.acerifoliella). The difference in the wrinkles is drawn in the accompanying illustrations, but the difference in size would be hard to judge without several examples of each for direct comparison. At Moth Dissection the longitudinal wrinkles are shown well in 2 of the 3 images (3 specimens) of P.joannisi, but the one image of P.acerifoliella does not show the ostial plate well enough to make a judgement. The wrinkles are also seen in my images of §2 and (less clearly) §3.
Male genitalia: Both species are shown at Moth Dissection - there is one image of P.joannisi and 4 of P.acerifoliella. Both species have asymmetric valvae with the left being considerably broader than the right; the left valva has a robust curved subapical spine and the right usually has a shorter slender straighter spine at ~¾. There is some intraspecific variablity in valval features and these cannot be be used to distinguished these two species. According to the text in the Swedish literature referenced above the crucial (and only) difference between the species is that the saccus is slightly longer in P.joannisi, but any difference is not perceptible in comparing the male genitalia illustrations in the same publication. Confusingly in "Atlas des lepidopteres gracillariidae lithocilletinae de France" the saccus is illustrated to be longer in P.acerifoliella than in P.joannisi; I have concluded that this is an error. One of the images at Moth Dissection has an inset showing a very short stubby saccus, another also has a short stubby saccus, in a third it is a little longer and in the 4th it cannot be identified. In the one image of P.joannisi the saccus is distinctly longer and consistent with §1 here being correctly identified as P.joannisi. The saccus of §4 & 5 is more borderline and similar to the image labelled as P.acerifoliella at Moth Dissection with the longer saccus. I have made the assumption for now that I am only getting one of these species in my garden (the only place I have so far found this/these species). Having said that, the only Acer species I can find in the locality is A.palmatum (Japanese Maple) which doesn't support either of the Phyllonorycter species.
Female genitalia: Both species are shown at Moth Dissection - there is are 3 images (4 specimens) of P.joannisi and 1 of P.acerifoliella. The female genitalia of P.joannisi and P.acerifoliella are also almost identical. According to the Swedish volume the ostial plate (sterigma) of P.joannisi is larger and shows some longitudinal wrinkles (implying that these are absent in P.acerifoliella). The difference in the wrinkles is drawn in the accompanying illustrations, but the difference in size would be hard to judge without several examples of each for direct comparison. At Moth Dissection the longitudinal wrinkles are shown well in 2 of the 3 images (3 specimens) of P.joannisi, but the one image of P.acerifoliella does not show the ostial plate well enough to make a judgement. The wrinkles are also seen in my images of §2 and (less clearly) §3.
§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/07/2018; male; fw 3.2mm; to light
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 24/07/2018; female; fw 3.3mm; to light
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 08/09/2021; female; fw 3.3mm; to light
§4 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 12/07/2022; male; fw 3.6mm; to light
§5 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 29/06/2026; male; fw 3.9mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 24/07/2018; female; fw 3.3mm; to light
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 08/09/2021; female; fw 3.3mm; to light
§4 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 12/07/2022; male; fw 3.6mm; to light
§5 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 29/06/2026; male; fw 3.9mm; to light
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 16/07/2018 (§1) | §2 added 25/04/2019 | §3 added 16/12/2021 | §4 added 19/12/2022 |
§5 added and text amended 15/07/2026
§5 added and text amended 15/07/2026
