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Species
Tortricidae
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Introduction:
Tortricoidea, comprised of the single family Tortricidae, are second in terms of species richness only to Gelechioidea among the major microlepidopteran lineages, with just over 9,100 described species (Brown 2005). Several groups within Tortricidae have been considered distinct families by one or more authors over the last century, including Olethreutinae, Chlidanotinae, Cochylini (Phaloniidae), Sparganothini, Ceracini, and others. However, it is now generally accepted that these groups represent subordinate taxa within the family (Horak 1999). Under current concepts, the family is divided into three subfamilies - Chlidanotinae, Tortricinae, and Olethreutinae - into which 22 currently recognized tribes are arranged (Horak 1999).Many tortricids are important pests of agricultural, forest, and ornamental plants. And some, such as the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)) and codling moth (Cydia pomonella (L.)), are among the most well studied insects on the planet because of their considerable economic impact. The common name ??tortricideae??? has been applied to the family owing to the larval habit of shelter-building by folding or rolling leaves of the food plant, but the larvae of tortricids employ a wide range of feeding strategies, including gall-inducing, stem- and root-boring, fruit-boring, seed-predating, and flower-feeding. Some of the more unusual feeding modes include leaf litter-feeding (e.g., Epitymbiini), feeding as inquilines in the galls of other insects (e.g., Cydia and Andrioplecta), and predators of coccids (e.g., Accra, Pammene, and Andrioplecta).
Pupa type:
obtect
Pupa description:
Typically fusiform with few conspicuous modifications. The most distinctive feature is the two rows of small thorns that extend acorss the dorsum of abdominal segments 2-7, which may represent an autapomorphy for the family (although similar structures are present in some other groups). Cremaster usually well developed in Tortricinae and absent in Olethreutinae. In the very few species which have dorsal abdominal dorsal pits (e.g., Amorbia, Archips), the pupae likewise have distinctive mid-dorsal cavities.
Pupal tergal spines:
absent
Spines as modified cremaster:
present, absent
Cocoon:
present, absent
Cocoon description:
Cocoons rare. When present, usually a tough, dense silken bag. In gall-inducers and stem-borers, the inner surface of the pupal chamber is typically silk-lined.
Reproductive system:
Ditrysian
Oviscapt (ovipositor):
non-piercing
Female genitalia description:
Female genitalia are typical ditrysian. The papillae anales (ovipositor lobes) are slipper-shaped or oblong-ovate, characteristically flattened, usually with a moderately dense covering of sensory setae from papilose bases. In Cnepahsiini and a few Tortricini, the setae have a somewhat nail-head distal modification, used to scrap debris over the eggs - this referred to as a floricomous ovipositor. In most Tortricinae the ostium is situated immediately posterad of the 8th sternite, but in many Olethruetinae it is displaced anterad, situated on the 8th sternite. The ductus bursae is usually long and membranous, often with a scleritied antrum (cup-shaped process at ostium) or colliculum (sclerotized region in the posterior portion of the ductus). The corpus bursae is typically rounded or pear-shaped, often with spiculae or one or more signa. Virtually all Archipini have a distinctive spine and capitulum; many Olethreutinae have a blade-shaped signum, frequently paired.
Female corethrogyne:
present, absent
Female pregenital sexual scales:
present, absent
Female accessory glands:
one pair
Female oviduct opening:
below anus
Female bursa ostium opening:
on venter 8
Male coremata:
absent
Male pregenital sexual scales:
present, absent
Sternum 5:
without fenestra
Sternum 5 gland:
absent
Adult abdomen description:
The abdomen is unmodifed in the vast majority of species; the apodemes are of the "tortricoid" type. However, in a few species groups and/or genera scattered throughout the family, unusual structures may be present. For example, males of Lorita (Cochlyini) have a scoop-shaped sclerite from sternite 6; and many male Orthocomotis have an invaginated region in the pluera of segment 2-3 bearing dense sex scales that receive a hairpencil that originates from the thorax. Females of Atteriini have dense patches of modified scales called corethrogyne on the venter of segments 7-8 used to build a fence of scales around the eggs.
Male has:
phallotheca and aedeagus (phallus)
Scale tufts:
present, absent
Epiphysis:
present
Adult thorax description:
Scaling smooth on dorsum, with well developed tegulae. A patch of raised scales at posterior end of metascutum in many groups.
Forelegs:
normal
Leg description:
Three pairs of functional legs, usually unmodified. Foreleg bears an epiphysis. A unique male hairpencil, consisting of a dense fascicle of 15-25 elongate, pale yellow, hairlike scales, arising from the proximal end of the foreleg femur may represent a synapomorphy for Euliini and Schoenotenini, but the structure is lost secondarily in many species and genera (Brown 1990). Males of many Olethreutinae have highly modified sex scales on the hindleg.
Wing venation??description:
Forewing usually with all veins present and separate beyond discal cell; frequently with some modifications and/or some stalking. Discal cell well defined; M-stem and chorda usually reduced or absent. When chorda present, it often defines a distinct cell in the disto-apical end of discal cell. CuP usually reduced. Base of 1A 2A with distinct loop. Males in many groups with conspicuous costal fold in basal potion of wing. Hindwing usually with all veins present and separate beyond discal cell, frequently with with some modifications and/or some stalking. M-stem usually absent; CuP reduced. Anal margin rolled or folded in males of some groups, often concealing a male hairpencil. Males in some groups with linear patch of sex scales along costa.
Wing venation:
heteroneurous
Forewing cell veins:
unforked
Forewing basal loop:
present
Forewing pterostigma:
absent
Forewing chorda:
present, absent
Number of Rs veins in forewing:
from 5
Forewing upper surface with microtrichia:
absent
Number of anal veins reaching margin:
from 2
Hindwing cell vein:
unforked
Number of Rs veins in hindwing:
from 2
Number of M veins in hindwing:
from 3
Hindwing pterostigma:
absent
Wing coupling:
present, with frenulum
Wing scales:
hollow
Hindwing description:
Hindwing ovate with a weakly curved costa and a rounded apex. Usually with all veins present and separate beyond discal cell, frequently with with some modifications and/or stalking. Bases of Sc R and Rs coincident; Rs and M1 close, connate, or stalked; distance between bases of veins of taxonomic importance; M-stem usually absent; CuP reduced. Crossvein of discal cell extremely weak or absent. Olethreutinae typicall posses a patch of modified scales along the basal portion of vein 1A 2A referred to as a cubital pecten. The structure may be of taxonomic importace for separating Olethreutinae from Tortricinae, but there are a exceptions. In some Sparganothini (e.g. Sparganothis, Platynota) the anal region of the wing is folded and bears a hairpencil in the male. In some Olethreutini (e.g., Olethreutes) the entire anal region is rolled or folded, concealing male secondary structures and/or scales.
Counter-tympanum:
absent
Abdomen tympanum:
absent
Thorax tympanum:
absent
Palp tympanum:
absent
Ocelli:
present
Eyes:
smooth
Labial palpus:
porrect, upcurved
Number of labial palp segments:
from 3
Labial palpus modification:
Three segments; first segment usually short, upcurved; second segment the longest, usually densely scaled; third segment short, usually with appresses scales, sometimes with most of segment concealed by distal scaling of second. In some groups the palpi are short, upcurved, and nearly appressed to the face. In other groups they are long and porrect, 4-5 times the horizontal diameter of the compound eye.
Maxillary palpus:
minute
Proboscis:
present, reduced
Fluted sensilla styloconia on proboscis:
absent
Proboscis texture:
naked
Proboscis description:
Usually well developed, coiled, ca. 1 X 1.5 times length of labial palpus; unscaled basally; rarely non-functional.
Mandibles:
absent
Head vertex scaling:
normal
Female antennae:
filiform
Female pedicel description:
Simple, unmodified.
Female scape description:
Simple, unmodified.
Female flagellomere description:
Simple, unmodified.
Male antennae:
filiform
Male pedicel description:
Simple, unmodified.
Male flagellomere description:
Simple, unmodified; frequently with setae longer and more densely arranged in male than in female antenna.
Antennal sensillum:
Antennal sensillum present
General antennae description:
Unmodified, comprised of scape, pedicel, and flagellum. Olethreutinae with a single row of scales per flagellomere, Tortricinae and Chlidanotinae with 2 rows. Overall, flagellum filaform or slightly serrate. Antennae slightly broadened and flattened in most Chlidanotini. In Tortricinae, males typically with longer setae than females.
Adult head description:
Vertex rough scaled; frons smooth scaled; an ocellus and small patch of chaetosemata near base of antenna.
Habitat:
Tortricidae range from tropical lowlands to sagebrush steppe and desert, and from Mediterranean, drought-decidous shrublands to northern boreal forests.
Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Actia crassicornis is endoparasitoid of larva of Tortricidae
Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Actia maksymovi is endoparasitoid of larva of Tortricidae
Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Eurysthaea scutellaris is endoparasitoid of larva of Tortricidae
Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Lypha dubia is endoparasitoid of larva of Tortricidae
Animal / predator
larva of Xanthandrus comtus is predator of gregarious larva of Tortricidae
Other: major host/prey
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Adult behavior:
diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular
Pupa life history description:
For most species, pupation takes place in the rolled leaf, stem, root, etc. in which the larva has fed.
Description of egg life history:
Eggs are deposited singly, in small groups, or in large imbricate masses. In Sparganopthini and Atteriini the eggs are covered with a collaterial solution of varying color. Females of Atteriini use highly modified scales on the venter of the abdominal segment to build a fence of scales around the egg patch. Eggs usually hatch in 7-12 days.