GELECHIIDAE - Anarsia
Taxonomy
Gelechioidea: Gelechiidae: Gelechiinae: Anarsia
Common names: peach twig borer (A. lineatella)
Synonyms: Ananarsia
Specimens identified as Ananarsia lineatella Zeller are non-reportable (*Non-Rep*).
Larval diagnosis (Summary)
The following characters can be used to diagnose A. lineatella; they may not be representative of the entire genus:
- Prespiracular group on T1 surrounds the spiracle
- L group on A9 is bisetose
- Secondary setae present on the anal prolegs and shield
- Crochets on the anal prolegs are divided into two groups
- Anal comb is present, usually with 4 short straight teeth
Host/origin information
Most (>95%) of the records of "Anarsia spp." in the PestID database are from Nigera on hosts such as Gnetum, Malvaceae, Pterocarpus, and Vernonia.
Nearly all of these records are erroneous and represent species of gelechiids in other genera. In addition, other PestID records from the Old World on non-legume
hosts need confirmation. Confirmed records are listed below; please see the detailed Identification Authority section for more information.
| Origin |
Host(s) |
| Europe | Prunus |
| Canada | Prunus |
Recorded distribution
Ananarsia lineatella found throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and possibly localized areas of Asia north of India. It has been introduced into North America,
where it is widespread (Carter 1984). Other Anarsia are recorded from Asia and Africa.
Identification authority (Summary)
Anarsia larvae may be identified to A. lineatella (*Non-Rep*) if they possess most of the above morphological characters, are found on stone fruit, and originate from
North America, Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. Larvae from Asia and possibly Africa on legumes may be identifiable to Anarsia sp. if they possess most of the above morphological
characters, but in most cases it is safer to leave these identifications at the family level.
Pest characterization
These characterization ratings are for Ananarsia lineatella (based on Carter 1984, Cavey 2001):
- Taxonomy: High. Identification to species is routine in late instars.
- Distribution: Low. Anarsia lineatella occurs in the U.S.
- Potential Impact: High. Anarsia lineatella is considered a pest.
This ranking characterizes A. lineatella as not quarantine significant for the U.S.
GELECHIIDAE - Anarsia
Larval diagnosis (Detailed)
The larva of A. lineatella was at least partially described by Keifer (1935), Peterson (1962), MacKay (1972), Weisman (1986), Stehr (1987) and Schnitzler et al. (2011).
The larva is easily recognized by a combination of characters. Among those listed by Keifer (1935) and MacKay (1972), the most obvious are a prespiracular group that
surrounds the prothoracic spiracle, a bisetose L group on A9, secondary setae on the anal prolegs and shield, the anal crochets divided into two groups, and the presence
of an anal comb. In addition, the lateral setae of the prothorax are in a horizontal line (Weisman 1986). The anal comb figured by Weisman (1986) is diagramatic, see
Peterson (1962: L15) and Carter (1984) for more accurate figures.
Identification authority (Detailed)
Accurate identification of A. lineatella requires restricting the origins to North America, Europe, Middle East, North Africa and possibly localized areas of Asia north
of India (see map in Carter 1984). Weisman (1986) records A. lineatella from Latin America but we were unable to confirm this using Carter (1984), Zhang (1994),
Saunders et al. (1983) (which tends to include any citation from Central America even if doubtful), Heppner's (1984) checklist of Latin American Lepidoptera, or
Gonzalez's (1989) work on quarantine Lepidoptera of Chile. In the Asian fauna, A. lineatella was absent from the Australian checklist (Nielson et al. 1996)
and Robinson's et al. (1994) introduction to the microlepidoptera of Asia. Records from the Far East also need confirmation. The hosts must be stone fruits.
Using these guidelines, the larva of A. lineatella is unmistakable.
The smallest larva we have seen that fits the above diagnosis to A. lineatella is 4 mm. Interestingly, it does not have the prothoracic spiracle fused to the
prespiracular group, a classic character used to define A. lineatella. However, the anal crochets are divided, secondary setae occur on the anal shield and the
anal comb is present. Thus, these larvae are still recognizable as A. lineatella even when very tiny. Full grown larvae are about 11 mm. long (Keifer 1935).
Most of the uncertainly relates to larvae identified as Anarsia or near Anarsia based on possessing one or two of the key characters of A. lineatella, for example,
the prespiracular group surrounding the prothoracic spiracle or secondary setae on the anal shield (J. Young pers. obsv.). The genus Anarsia occurs throughout Asia,
especially on legumes in India
(Zhang 1994, Robinson et al. 1994). One species is described from Nigeria on Guiera (Zhang 1994). It might be possible to go to genus if the larva is from legumes,
a common host for Old World species of Anarsia, but it is safer to leave these larvae at family unless they match several of the characters listed for A. lineatella.
We did not find a larval description to any other Anarsia except lineatella, thus it is impossible to try to define the genus.
Most (>95%) of the records of "Anarsia spp." in the PestID database are from Nigera on hosts such as Gnetum, Malvaceae, Pterocarpus, and Vernonia.
Nearly all of these records are erroneous and represent species of gelechiids in other genera. In addition, other PestID records for Anarsia from the Old World on non-legume
hosts need confirmation.
GELECHIIDAE - Anarsia
Origin records
Anarsia have been intercepted from the following locations:
Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Iran,
Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal,
South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and N. Ireland, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe
Although the most commonly recorded origin in PestID, records from Nigeria are likely incorrect.
Host records
Anarsia have been intercepted on the following hosts. This list does not include hosts from the >1,600 Nigerian records in PestID that are likely incorrect. Other hosts
that are not considered stone fruit or legumes are questionable:
Abelmoschus esculentus, Aleurites sp., Bergera koenigii, Brassica oleracea, Capsicum sp., Cuminum cyminum, Erythrina sp.,
Fagus sylvatica, Galphimia glauca, Gnetum africanum, Lamiaceae, Lansium domesticum, Litchi chinensis, Malus domestica, Malus sp.,
Malvaceae, Manilkara zapota, Momordica balsamina, Ocimum basilicum, Phaseolus sp., Phaseolus vulgaris, Prunus armeniaca,
Prunus domestica, Prunus dulcis, Prunus persica, Prunus sp., Psidium guajava, Pterocarpus sp., Punica granatum, Rubus sp.,
Sechium edule, Tamarindus indica, Vernonia amygdalina, Zea mays
GELECHIIDAE - Anarsia
Setal map
Anarsia setal map
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