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Tegeticula corruptrix Pellmyr

Olle Pellmyr
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Containing group: Tegeticula

Adult Characteristics

Wing expanse 22.5-35 mm. Forewing white or occasionally more or less tan colored (at higher elevation); hindwing uniformly dark brown, or darker brown along front edge and near apex, gradually lighter due to sparser scaling toward back corner. Female with reduced maxillary tentacles. Male genitalia with aedeagus 2.2-2.8 mm long, 0.06-0.08 mm in cross section; female genitalia with posterior apophyses 9.0-12.9 mm long, corpus bursae with signa 0.5-1.0 mm in diameter.

Comparison with Similar Species

This very large non-pollinating species, approached in size only by superficiella and elatella, is readily distinguished by the reduced tentacles in the female. Internally quite variable, and more than one good species may be covered under this name. Genitalia are highly characteristic for identification; a diagnostic key is provided.

Host, Oviposition, and Larval Feeding Habits

The species is known from the fleshy-fruited Yucca baccata, Y. treculeana (Y. torreyi), Y. schidigera and the capsular-fruitedY. glauca, Y. baileyi, including var. intermedia, Y. elata (Y. verdiensis). (Pellmyr 1999). Females oviposit into full-size fruit, laying eggs directly into developed seed. The larva feeds on developing seeds. Pupation occurs in a cocoon in the soil.

Geographic Distribution

Documented from southwestern California, Arizona, New Mexico, northern Coahuila, western and southernmost Texas, Colorado, and the westernmost Plains of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.

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Distribution of Tegeticula intermedia and Tegeticula corruptrix.

Habitat

Typical habitat includes grasslands, shrub desert, rocky hillsides, open pine forest, and shrubby grassland. Altitudinal range 0-2300 m

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Shrubby deserts in Brewster Co., Texas and Dona Ana Co., New Mexico reflect the wide diversity of habitats where the species is found.

Type

Holotype in USNM.

References

Pellmyr, O. 1999. Systematic revision of the Tegeticula yuccasella complex (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae) north of Mexico. Systematic Entomology 24:243-271.

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Tegeticula corruptrix
Location Grant Co, New Mexico, USA; Brewster Co, Texas, USA; Stillwater Co, Montana, USA
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Sex males (left), females (right)
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © 1996
About This Page


University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA

Page: Tree of Life Tegeticula corruptrix Pellmyr. Authored by Olle Pellmyr. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Pellmyr, Olle. 1996. Tegeticula corruptrix Pellmyr. Version 01 January 1996 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Tegeticula_corruptrix/12470/1996.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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