A new North American species of Etainia (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae), feeding on Arbutus and Arctostaphylos species (Ericaceae)

By

Nieukerken, Erik J. van
Davis, Donald R.
Swain, Steven V.
Epstein, Marc E.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1193

Pages

195--218

Subjects

Arizona , California , Canada , insect damage , leafmines , stem mines , taxonomy , United States

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1193.116982

 

Abstract

Etainia thoraceleuca van Nieukerken, Epstein & Davis, sp. nov. is the second native American species of Etainia Beirne, 1945, and the second known Etainia species feeding on Ericaceae. The species is known from light-collected adults in the USA (California, Arizona) and Canada (Ontario). These were linked via DNA barcodes to larvae that make short leafmines on Arbutus and Arctostaphylos species, then continue feeding in stems and branches, causing damage in nurseries and planted trees in Sonoma and Marin Counties, California. The holotype was accidentally reared from Arbutus arizonica, without observing the damage. Life history and damage are described in detail. Damage in Arctostaphylos uva-ursi found in Washington State probably belongs to E. thoraceleuca, which is a sister species to the European E. albibimaculella (Larsen, 1927).