Psychoides verhuella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tineidae
Genus:
Psychoides
Species:
P. vrhuellai
Binomial name
Psychoides verhuella
Bruand, 1853

Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae found in Europe. It was first described in 1853, by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle from a specimen from Besançon, France. It is the type species of the genus Psychoides, also raised by Charles Bruand in 1853.[1] The larvae feed on ferns.

Life cycle

Larva

Larvae feed from August to June, initially in a whitish mine in the frond, and in the spring they leave the mine and burrow into a sorus, feeding on the sporangia. They later form a loose, portable case from empty sporangia and when fully grown in May the case resembles a misplaced sorus, especially on hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium). The larva is yellowish white with a brownish dorsa line and has a black head and black prothoracic plate.[2]

The following ferns have been recorded as food plants,[3][4]

Larva of another moth, Psychoides filicivora also feed on ferns. It has a pale-brown head and a pale-brown posterial margin, which has a split in the middle, compared with the black head and prothoracic plate of Psychoides verhuella.[5][6]

Pupa

In a larval case, which is often against the midrib of the food plant.[4] Can be found in May and June.[7]

Imago

Single brooded, the moth flies in June and July, in early morning and late afternoon sunshine. Occasionally comes to light.[8] The grey to dark grey monochrome forewings have a violet reflection and lack the white tornal spot of Psychoides filicivora. The antennae are wire-shaped and just over half as long as the front wings.

Distribution

Found in Europe, this species has been recorded from the following countries and regions; Austria, Belgium, Channel Islands, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain (local distribution), Hungary, Ireland, Poland and Romania.[9]

Etymology

Psychoides was raised by Charles Braund in 1853 and comes from psukhē – of the soul, i.e. a moth of the family Psychidae and eidos – form, that is from the similarity of this species to moths of the Psychidae. The specific name verhuella is in honour of the mid-19th century Dutch entomologist, Q M R Verhuell.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Pitkin, Brian & Jenkins, Paul (November 5, 2004). "Psychoides Bruand, 1853". Butterflies and Moths of the World. Natural History Museum, London. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  2. ↑ Pelham-Clinton, p. 159
  3. ↑ "12.047 Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853". British Leafminers. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. 1 2 Ellis, W N. "Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853 hart's-tongue smut". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  5. ↑ Pelham-Clinton, p. 160
  6. ↑ Reinhard Gaedike, 2019 Tineidae II : Myrmecozelinae, Perissomasticinae, Tineinae, Hieroxestinae, Teichobiinae and Stathmopolitinae Microlepidoptera of Europe, vol. 9. Leiden : Brill
  7. ↑ Kimber, Ian. "12.047 BF199 Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853". UKMoths. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  8. ↑ Sterling, Paul; Parsons, Mark; Lewington, Richard (2012). Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Gillingham, Dorset: British Wildlife. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-9564902-1-6.
  9. ↑ "Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  10. ↑ Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 56. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.

Bibliography

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