Lithocolletinae
Encyclopedia
Lithocolletinae is a subfamily of insects in the family Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae is an important family of insects in the order Lepidoptera and the principal family of leaf miners that includes several economic, horticultural or recently invasive pest species such as the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella....

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Diversity and distribution

The subfamily includes 503 species assigned to seven to nine genera according to different authors. The subfamily has a worldwide distribution, but is more species-rich in temperate zones: 273 species are known from the Palaearctic ecozone, 142 species from the Nearctic ecozone, 49 species from the Oriental ecozone, 26 species from the Afrotropical ecozone, 16 species from the Neotropical ecozone and only 8 species from the Australasian ecozone. Probably many more taxa will be discovered in the southern hemisphere. However, even in the seemingly well-known European and North American Lithocolletinae fauna the generic assignment of some lithocolletine species is still questionable; for example, the species-rich genus Phyllonorycter
Phyllonorycter
Phyllonorycter is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Diversity:The genus comprises about 400 species, with a worldwide distribution. The vast majority of species are found in the temperate regions, with about 257 species described from the Palaearctic region and 81 from the Nearctic...

, comprising about 400 species and having a world-wide distribution, has served for some time as a depository for several species of uncertain phylogenetic placement.

Description

Lithocolletinae are very small moths (less than 10 mm in wing expanse) with often brilliantly coloured forewings of ochreous-orange or reddish-brown ground colour, marked by white or
silvery white striae and fasciae.

Biology

The hostplant range within the subfamily is broad. Lithocolletinae species have been recorded feeding on 36 families of plants. Approximately 32 families of dicotyledonous plants serve as hosts for Phyllonorycter
Phyllonorycter
Phyllonorycter is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Diversity:The genus comprises about 400 species, with a worldwide distribution. The vast majority of species are found in the temperate regions, with about 257 species described from the Palaearctic region and 81 from the Nearctic...

moths, compared to 11 families for Cameraria
Cameraria (insect)
Cameraria is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae, which includes many species of leaf miners. One of the best known species is the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella.-Species:*Cameraria acericola Kumata, 1963...

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Genera

  • Cameraria
    Cameraria (insect)
    Cameraria is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae, which includes many species of leaf miners. One of the best known species is the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella.-Species:*Cameraria acericola Kumata, 1963...

    Chapman, 1902
  • Chrysaster
    Chrysaster
    Chrysaster is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Species:*Chrysaster hagicola Kumata, 1961*Chrysaster ostensackenella...

    Kumata, 1961
  • Cremastobombycia
    Cremastobombycia
    Cremastobombycia is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Species:*Cremastobombycia ambrosiaeella *Cremastobombycia grindeliella *Cremastobombycia ignota...

    Braun, 1908
  • Hyloconis
    Hyloconis
    Hyloconis is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Species:*Hyloconis desmodii Kumata, 1963*Hyloconis improvisella *Hyloconis lespedezae Kumata, 1963*Hyloconis puerariae Kumata, 1963...

    Kumata, 1963
  • Macrosaccus
    Macrosaccus
    Macrosaccus is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Etymology:The generic name is derived from the ancient Greek μακρο- and σάκκος in reference to the elongate saccus in the male genitalia.-Species:...

    Davis and De Prins, 2011
  • Neolithocolletis
    Neolithocolletis
    Neolithocolletis is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Species:*Neolithocolletis hikomonticola Kumata, 1963*Neolithocolletis kangarensis Kumata, 1993*Neolithocolletis pentadesma...

    Kumata, 1963
  • Phyllonorycter
    Phyllonorycter
    Phyllonorycter is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Diversity:The genus comprises about 400 species, with a worldwide distribution. The vast majority of species are found in the temperate regions, with about 257 species described from the Palaearctic region and 81 from the Nearctic...

    Hübner, 1822
  • Porphyrosela
    Porphyrosela
    Porphyrosela is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.-Species:*Porphyrosela aglaozona *Porphyrosela alternata Kumata, 1993*Porphyrosela desmodiella *Porphyrosela dismochrysa...

    Braun, 1908
  • Protolithocolletis
    Protolithocolletis
    Protolithocolletis is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae....

    Braun, 1929
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