Psorosticha zizyphi
Encyclopedia
The Citrus Leaf Roller (Psorosticha zizyphi) is a moth
of the Oecophoridae
family. It is found in south-east Asia, including Hong Kong
, India
, Ceylon, New Guinea
and Queensland
and New South Wales
in Australia
.
The larvae feed on young shoots of various trees in Rutaceae
family, including Citrus limon, Citrus reticulata, Aegle marmelos, Feronia elephantum, Glycosmis pentaphylla and Murraya koenigii, as well as other plants, such as Zizyphus jujuba and Ailanthus excelsa. They live in a rolled leaf of their host plant. Pupation takes place inside the folded leaf.
The species is considered a pest on Citrus
species. By rolling the leaves, they seriously damage or even destroy new growth flushes.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Oecophoridae
Oecophoridae
Oecophoridae is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The phylogeny and systematics of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this....
family. It is found in south-east Asia, including Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Ceylon, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The larvae feed on young shoots of various trees in Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Rutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
family, including Citrus limon, Citrus reticulata, Aegle marmelos, Feronia elephantum, Glycosmis pentaphylla and Murraya koenigii, as well as other plants, such as Zizyphus jujuba and Ailanthus excelsa. They live in a rolled leaf of their host plant. Pupation takes place inside the folded leaf.
The species is considered a pest on Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
species. By rolling the leaves, they seriously damage or even destroy new growth flushes.