Key A: Coleophora species with metallic forewings (6S) |
External features
Antenna fuscous to apex; orange-yellow eyelashes; orange eye > C.amethystinella
Antenna white ringed blackish to apex, basal 2/5 thickened with projecting scales > C.mayrella
The remaining species have the antenna fuscous with the apical ~1/5 white (unringed)
Lower eye margin fringed with straw-coloured hairs; ~fw > 7mm > C.trifolii *
The remaining species have the lower margin of the eye fringed fuscous and fw <8mm
Antenna thickened with projecting scales at base to beyond the first 3 segments** > C.deauratella
Antenna thickened with projecting scales on basal 2-3 segments of flagellum only > C.alcyonipennella / C.frischella
* The sizes quoted in MBGBI3 should allow separation of C.trifolii from other members of this group except C.amethystinella based on a fw>7mm, but I have found C.deauratella with fw up to 7.9mm and C.frischella should average larger than C.deauratella.
MBGBI3 also gives the upper margin of the eye edged orange-yellow - but this is much less apparent than the fringe on the lower margin.
** MBGBI3 gives to beyond 1/10 in male 1/4 in female. It can be problematic to be sure that the thickening in C.alcyonipennella is restricted to the basal 3 segments. In males I have identified as C.deauratella the thickening at the base of the antenna is about as extensive as the white at the apex; while in males I have identified as C.alcyonipennella the basal thickening is much less extensive than the white apex - this may be a more reliable distinction.
Antenna fuscous to apex; orange-yellow eyelashes; orange eye > C.amethystinella
Antenna white ringed blackish to apex, basal 2/5 thickened with projecting scales > C.mayrella
The remaining species have the antenna fuscous with the apical ~1/5 white (unringed)
Lower eye margin fringed with straw-coloured hairs; ~fw > 7mm > C.trifolii *
The remaining species have the lower margin of the eye fringed fuscous and fw <8mm
Antenna thickened with projecting scales at base to beyond the first 3 segments** > C.deauratella
Antenna thickened with projecting scales on basal 2-3 segments of flagellum only > C.alcyonipennella / C.frischella
* The sizes quoted in MBGBI3 should allow separation of C.trifolii from other members of this group except C.amethystinella based on a fw>7mm, but I have found C.deauratella with fw up to 7.9mm and C.frischella should average larger than C.deauratella.
MBGBI3 also gives the upper margin of the eye edged orange-yellow - but this is much less apparent than the fringe on the lower margin.
** MBGBI3 gives to beyond 1/10 in male 1/4 in female. It can be problematic to be sure that the thickening in C.alcyonipennella is restricted to the basal 3 segments. In males I have identified as C.deauratella the thickening at the base of the antenna is about as extensive as the white at the apex; while in males I have identified as C.alcyonipennella the basal thickening is much less extensive than the white apex - this may be a more reliable distinction.
Male genitalia
Refs: All except C.alcyonipennella, are figured, but not keyed, in MBGBI3.
http://www.dissectiongroup.co.uk/ shows male genitalia of all six species
C.mayrella and C.amethystinella have a long curved filament on the dorsal margin of the valva.
C.mayrella has an additional fairly straight filament on the ventral margin of the sacculus and the sacculus curves so that its apex is directed medially. C.amethystinella has a small laterally-directed process at the postero-lateral angle of the sacculus.
C.trifolii: the sacculus comes to a medially-directed short apical point; valvae narrowed at base and as long as sacculus; aedeagus with a weakly sclerotised tunica; vesica without a sclerotised curve and 1 long cornutus in vesica.
C.deauratella: the sacculus is relatively broad at the apex with a broadly rounded ventro-lateral angle and a moderate dorsally-directed process at the dorso-lateral angle; valvae of fairly even width and shorter than sacculus; aedeagus with a strongly sclerotised, long tunica (distance from apex of tunica to annulus approximately = distance from annulus to anterior end of sclerotisation of vesica); concave curve of vesica with an elongate sclerotisation of its wall, parallel with a line of elongate cornuti in the vesica
C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella: the sacculus comes to a small lateral point, very small in the case of C.frischella; sclerotised tunica of the aedeagus is much shorter than in C.deauratella (distance from apex of tunica to annulus approximately = 1/2 distance from annulus to anterior end of sclerotisation of vesica). The images at dissection group (and on this site) suggest that in C.alyconipennella there are 4 or 5 long cornuti, each almost 1/2 the length of the cornutal bundle and in C.frischella there are ~8 medium cornuti each about 1/3 the length of the cornutal bundle. In my examination of several specimens of C.alcyonipennella it appears that the cornutal bundle consists of a sclerotised plate with 4 or 5 cornuti arising from its posterior 2/5; each cornutus is about the same length as the 'bare' anterior 3/5 of this plate.
Refs: All except C.alcyonipennella, are figured, but not keyed, in MBGBI3.
http://www.dissectiongroup.co.uk/ shows male genitalia of all six species
C.mayrella and C.amethystinella have a long curved filament on the dorsal margin of the valva.
C.mayrella has an additional fairly straight filament on the ventral margin of the sacculus and the sacculus curves so that its apex is directed medially. C.amethystinella has a small laterally-directed process at the postero-lateral angle of the sacculus.
C.trifolii: the sacculus comes to a medially-directed short apical point; valvae narrowed at base and as long as sacculus; aedeagus with a weakly sclerotised tunica; vesica without a sclerotised curve and 1 long cornutus in vesica.
C.deauratella: the sacculus is relatively broad at the apex with a broadly rounded ventro-lateral angle and a moderate dorsally-directed process at the dorso-lateral angle; valvae of fairly even width and shorter than sacculus; aedeagus with a strongly sclerotised, long tunica (distance from apex of tunica to annulus approximately = distance from annulus to anterior end of sclerotisation of vesica); concave curve of vesica with an elongate sclerotisation of its wall, parallel with a line of elongate cornuti in the vesica
C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella: the sacculus comes to a small lateral point, very small in the case of C.frischella; sclerotised tunica of the aedeagus is much shorter than in C.deauratella (distance from apex of tunica to annulus approximately = 1/2 distance from annulus to anterior end of sclerotisation of vesica). The images at dissection group (and on this site) suggest that in C.alyconipennella there are 4 or 5 long cornuti, each almost 1/2 the length of the cornutal bundle and in C.frischella there are ~8 medium cornuti each about 1/3 the length of the cornutal bundle. In my examination of several specimens of C.alcyonipennella it appears that the cornutal bundle consists of a sclerotised plate with 4 or 5 cornuti arising from its posterior 2/5; each cornutus is about the same length as the 'bare' anterior 3/5 of this plate.
Female genitalia (provisional)
Refs: All except alcyonipennella, are figured, but not keyed, in MBGBI3.
http://www.dissectiongroup.co.uk/ shows female genitalia of all except C.amethystinella
All show a spiculate posterior section of ductus bursae (DB) with a tail continuing from its anterior end and a large thorn in the bursa copulatrix.
In C.trifolii the spiculate section of DB is >4x the subgenital plate (SGP) length (4.5x here) and the ostium is central and broad occupying ~1/2 the SGP width. C.alcyonipennella is similar but the spiculate section of DB is <4x the SGP length (3.3x here). In C.frischella the SGP is elongate and the ostium is close to its posterior margin and narrow occupying ~1/3 the SGP width - (In C.frischella SGP length>4x width of ostium vs 2.5x in C.alcyonipennella). C.deauratella also has an elongate SGP with a narrow posteriorly place ostium but the spiculate section of DB is <2x length of SGP (~3x in C.frischella). C.mayrella also has a short spiculate section of DB but can be distinguished by its short anterior apophyses which are about as long as the SGP (2x as long in C.deauratella). C.amethystinella also has short anterior apophyses but it has a broad centrally placed ostium (narrow, posteriorly places in C.mayrella)
Key:
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~2x length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.deauratella
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~equal length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.mayrella
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~equal length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.amethystinella
Spiculate section of DB >2x <4x length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.frischella
Spiculate section of DB >2x <4x length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.alcyonipennella
Spiculate section of DB >4x length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.trifolii
Refs: All except alcyonipennella, are figured, but not keyed, in MBGBI3.
http://www.dissectiongroup.co.uk/ shows female genitalia of all except C.amethystinella
All show a spiculate posterior section of ductus bursae (DB) with a tail continuing from its anterior end and a large thorn in the bursa copulatrix.
In C.trifolii the spiculate section of DB is >4x the subgenital plate (SGP) length (4.5x here) and the ostium is central and broad occupying ~1/2 the SGP width. C.alcyonipennella is similar but the spiculate section of DB is <4x the SGP length (3.3x here). In C.frischella the SGP is elongate and the ostium is close to its posterior margin and narrow occupying ~1/3 the SGP width - (In C.frischella SGP length>4x width of ostium vs 2.5x in C.alcyonipennella). C.deauratella also has an elongate SGP with a narrow posteriorly place ostium but the spiculate section of DB is <2x length of SGP (~3x in C.frischella). C.mayrella also has a short spiculate section of DB but can be distinguished by its short anterior apophyses which are about as long as the SGP (2x as long in C.deauratella). C.amethystinella also has short anterior apophyses but it has a broad centrally placed ostium (narrow, posteriorly places in C.mayrella)
Key:
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~2x length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.deauratella
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~equal length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.mayrella
Spiculate section of DB < 2x length of SGP, anterior apophysis ~equal length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.amethystinella
Spiculate section of DB >2x <4x length of SGP, ostium narrow, posterior > C.frischella
Spiculate section of DB >2x <4x length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.alcyonipennella
Spiculate section of DB >4x length of SGP, ostium broad, central > C.trifolii