Native
Cryptaspasma (Cryptaspasma) bipenicilla Brown & Brown (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Microcorsini)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.5-11.5 mm
Males are grayish brown with faint black reticulated markings. Females are uniformly darker with less markings. Both males and females have a conspicuous white dot on the distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
one-third of the forewing. Hindwings are pale grayish brown.
Male genitalia are characterized by an elongate, tapering uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; densely setosesetose:
covered with setae
sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; and subtriangular valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
. Female genitalia are characterized by broad papillae analespapillae anales:
the female ovipositor lobes 
and two large signasignum:
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
. Males have two large patches of corematacoremata:
sex scales, usually found in the male 
on the posteriorposterior:
after, to the rear, toward anal end 
margin of segment VIII that are paired in two lengths.
The larva of C. bipenicilla has not been described. Larvae of other species of Cryptaspasma are orange to pink with a yellowish brown head and prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax 
. Pinaculapinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
are weakly sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened; usually in reference to larval structures or adult genitalia 
. Diagnostic characters include: D2 setae on A8 on the same " saddlesaddle:
in reference to the D2 pinacula on larval segment A9; both setae are on a single, fused pinaculum in the mid-dorsal region of the segment 
" pinaculumpinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae; D1, D2, and SD1 setae on A9 all on the same large " saddlesaddle:
in reference to the D2 pinacula on larval segment A9; both setae are on a single, fused pinaculum in the mid-dorsal region of the segment " pinaculumpinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae; L pinaculumpinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae on A9 bi setosesetose:
covered with setae; and anal combanal comb:
a toothed structure on the last abdominal segment used to eject frass away from the feeding larva; also termed "anal fork" 
absent.
The subgenus Cryptaspasma contains a total of six species, including C. bipenicilla, all of which are difficult to separate. Cryptaspasma bipenicilla can be separated from most described Neotropical Cryptaspasma (subgenus Cryptaspasma) by the two lengths of corematacoremata:
sex scales, usually found in the male on the male abdomen. Other undescribed species from Central and South America have two lengths of corematacoremata:
sex scales, usually found in the male but may be separated using a combination of other characters.
Life history information for C. bipenicilla is undocumented, although it is assumed to be similar to that of other avocado-feeding Cryptaspasma, such as Cryptaspasma perseana.
Cryptaspasma bipenicilla has been recorded feeding on seeds of avocado and slugwood (Lauraceae) in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Potential lauraceous hosts in the southeastern U.S. include Persea borbonia (redbay) and Persea palustris (swamp bay).
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) |
| Beilschmiedia pendula | Lauraceae | Brown & Brown 2004 |
| Persea americana | Lauraceae | Brown & Brown 2004 |
View full screen host table here
Cryptaspasma bipenicilla has been reported from the coastal southeastern United States (North Carolina to Texas), the Caribbean, and Central America.
