Type

Native

Taxonomy

Argyrotaenia amatana (Dyar) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common name: pondapple leafroller moth

Synonyms: chioccana (Tortrix), chiococcana (Argyrotoxa), neibana (Argyrotaenia), ochrochroa (Argyrotaenia)

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 4.5-6.0 mm (males); 5.0-7.0 mm (females)

Argyrotaenia amatana is a highly variable and sexually dimorphic species, making it difficult to diagnose externally. Males have two distinct forms. In the first form, the forewing has the ground color almost uniformly yellow and fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
solidly banded, giving a strongly contrasting overall appearance. In other the second form, the forewing is much more mottledmottled:
having spots or blotches of color
with median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
and subapical blotch varying from mahogany to dark brown. Females are more uniform in appearance, usually with a strong purple wash to much of the fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
. The hindwing of both sexes is usually, but not always, orange.

Male genitalia are characterized by a relatively broad, spatulatespatulate:
spoonlike, narrow basally and enlarged and rounded apically
uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; reduced sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; and rounded, membranous valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
. Female genitalia are characterized by a ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
with a sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened; usually in reference to larval structures or adult genitalia
plate near the ostiumostium:
see ostium bursae
and a large, hook-shaped signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
in the corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
 with a well-developed capitulumcapitulum:
in reference to the female signum; a knoblike projection
.

Larval Morphology

Larval morphology is unknown for this species, but is likely similar to other species of Argyrotaenia.

Similar Species

Argyrotaenia amatana is similar to many species of Argyrotaenia, but can usually be identified by its orange hindwing. In Florida, it is closest to A. ivana, but A. ivana has a much shorter, broader uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
.

Biology

Little is known of the life cycle of Argyrotaenia amatana beyond a list of host plants. It is a highly polyphagous species, having been recorded feeding on 26 plant species in 17 families. It may be an occasional greenhouse pest. Like many other members of Argyrotaenia, larvae feed by tying two or more leaves together.

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Distribution

Argyrotaenia amatana is distributed in peninsular Florida and the northern Caribbean (Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands (Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019:
Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.; Austin & Dombroskie 2020b). Almost all records are from low elevations (<100 m), but high elevation records exist for mountains on Cuba and Hispaniola.

Links

Additional photos and a distribution map of this species in North America are available at Moth Photographers Group. 

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Acer rubrum	Aceraceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Sagittaria lancifolia	Alismataceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Annona diversifolia	Annonaceae	Heppner 2003Heppner 2003: Heppner, J.B. 2003. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida. Florida Department of Agriculture. 17(1): 1-670.
Annona glabra	Annonaceae	Dyar 1901Dyar 1901: Dyar, H.G. 1901. An apparently new tortricid from Florida. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 9: 24.
Annona sp.	Annonaceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.
Oxandra laurifolia	Annonaceae	LACM IndexLACM Index: LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Fleischmannia incarnata	Asteraceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Solidago sp.	Asteraceae	Heppner 2003Heppner 2003: Heppner, J.B. 2003. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida. Florida Department of Agriculture. 17(1): 1-670.
Laguncularia racemosa	Combretaceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Taxodium distichum	Cupressaceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Lysiloma latisiliquum	Fabaceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Nectandra coriacea	Lauraceae	Kearfott 1907aKearfott 1907a: Kearfott, W. D. 1907a. New North American Tortricidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 33: 1-98.; Freeman 1944Freeman 1944: Freeman, T. N. 1944. A review of the North American species of the genus Argyrotaenia Stephens (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Scientific Agriculture. 25: 81-94., 1958
Nectandra turbacensis	Lauraceae	LACM IndexLACM Index: LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Persea americana	Lauraceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.; LACM IndexLACM Index: LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Persea borbonia	Lauraceae	Barrows 1991Barrows 1991: Barrows, E.M. 1991. Host plants, flight period, and distribution of a precinctive Florida moth Argyrotaenia amatana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Florida Entomologist 74(1): 152-153.
Swietenia mahagoni	Meliaceae	Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019: Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.
Eugenia sp.	Myrtaceae	Kimball 1965Kimball 1965: Kimball, C. P. 1965. The Lepidoptera of Florida: an annotated checklist. In : Arthropods of Florida and neighboring land areas, vol. 1. Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesville. 363 pp.
Ligustrum japonicum	Oleaceae	Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019: Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.
Podocarpus sp.	Podocarpaceae	Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019: Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.
Rosa sp.	Rosaceae	Heppner 2003Heppner 2003: Heppner, J.B. 2003. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida. Florida Department of Agriculture. 17(1): 1-670.
Chiococca alba	Rubiaceae	Kearfott 1907aKearfott 1907a: Kearfott, W. D. 1907a. New North American Tortricidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 33: 1-98.; Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.
Erithalis fruticosa	Rubiaceae	Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019: Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.
Gardenia jasminoides

Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.	Female. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
Male genitalia	Female genitalia