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GELECHIIDAE | Gelechiinae | Gelechiini
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35.088 Neofriseria singula (Mottled Groundling)
ws: 13-15mm (MBGBI4.2) ; Jun-Jul; sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella); RDB heath and breck in SE England
Neofriseria singula §1 female (image provided by Daniel Blyton)
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ID: Similar to N.pelliella and to Bryotropha species. Bryotropha species have a pecten on the antennal scape composed of a single seta, Neofriseria species do not have a pecten. N.singula has a paler fuscous ground colour than N.pelliella. Both Neofriseria species have several indistinct black forewing spots including an antemedian pair (discal and plical); in N.pelliella the discal spot is distal to the plical spot, in N.singula this pair are ~level. N.peliella is found mainly on coastal shingle in Kent, but the Gelechiid recording scheme lists several inland records; N.singula is found on (mainly inland) heath and breck.
Male genitalia: S8 divided into dorsal and ventral plates; gnathos simple; valvae flat with bristles, divided into 3 lobes with a long curved process > Neofriseria. Both species are illustrated in MBGBI4.2 (figs 10h&i) and both are shown at Moth Dissection. Following personal correspondence with Peter Hall a comparative image is now available at MD which suggests the following 2 means of distinction: 1) Both species have an area of short stud-like hairs at the apex of the uncus surrounded by longer hairs on either side - in N.singula the area of short hairs is larger than in N.peliella. 2) In N.peliella the gnathos is evenly curved; in N.peliella it is more angular. However, note that my N.peliella §4 has the discal spot distinctly distal to the plical but shows the genital features of N.singula. Female genitalia: Both species are illustrated in MBGBI4.2 (figs 32c&d), only N.peliella is shown at Moth Dissection. A difference is illustrated in the form of the signum, but this does not seem to be a valid discriminator between the species. |
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§1 Fingringhoe, Essex; 01/08/2024; female; fw 6.6mm; FIRST FOR ESSEX; specimen supplied by Daniel Blyton
§2 Boreham, Essex; 07/2025; male; fw 6.3mm; specimen supplied by Graham Ekins
§3 male; fw 7.4mm
§4 Location not certain; 07/2025; male; fw 7.6mm; specimen supplied by Mike Whiteside
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Boreham, Essex; 07/2025; male; fw 6.3mm; specimen supplied by Graham Ekins
§3 male; fw 7.4mm
§4 Location not certain; 07/2025; male; fw 7.6mm; specimen supplied by Mike Whiteside
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 21/09/2024 (§1) | §2-4 added 22/08/2025
