Cryptophlebia illepida

Type

Exotic

Taxonomy

Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)

Common names: koa seedworm

Synonyms: fulva (var.), suffusa (var.), tetrao (Cryptophlebia), vulpes (Cryptophlebia)

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 4.3-7.9 mm (males); 6.2-9.9 mm (females)

Adults are brown to reddish brown with a dark-brown pretornal spot that is reduced or absent in males. Males have sex scales on the hindwing, hind tibia, and abdomen. Males lack a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
.

Male genitalia are characterized by swollen valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
with two large inner spines on the cuculluscucullus:
the distal portion of the male valva
and several rows of smaller spines along the distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
margin. Female genitalia are characterized by a wide, V-shaped sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae
and two 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
.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from Namba (1957)Namba (1957):
Namba, R. 1957. Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Eucosmidae) and other insect pests of the macadamia nut in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 16: 284-297., MacKay (1959)MacKay (1959):
MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 10: 1-338. and Zimmerman (1978)Zimmerman (1978):
Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp..

Mature larva approximately 13-20 mm long; head dark brown to black in first four instars, yellowish brown in fifth instar; prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax
light brown except for pale median strip; body yellowish white, turning reddish or pink in the final instar; anal fork is absent.

Other diagnostic features of Cryptophlebia larvae include: T1 prespiracular pinaculumpinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
extends below the spiracle; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 numbering 3:3:2(3):2(1):1; SV seta on A8 and A9 bi setosesetose:
covered with setae
; spiracle on A8 near posteriorposterior:
after, to the rear, toward anal end
margin of segment and displaced dorsally; L group on A9 usually trisetose (occasionally bisetose); D1 and SD1 setae on same pinaculumpinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
on A9; and D2 setae on shared 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
on A9.

Similar Species

Adults of most Cryptophlebia species are superficially similar and are often mixed in museum collections. A genitalic dissection is usually necessary to confirm identity. The three species treated here, C. illepida, C. ombrodelta, and C. peltastica, can be separated by genitalic characters and geographic distribution, as outlined in the following table:

Cryptophlebia species	Male valvavalva: an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation	Female sterigmasterigma: the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae	Distribution
illepida	Two large spines, multiple rows of marginal spines	Wide, V-shaped	Hawaii
ombrodelta	Three large spines	Narrow, V-shaped, separate	Australia, Guam, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Hawaii (int.)
peltastica	Three large spines, margin densely setosesetose: covered with setae	Narrow, ovate, deeply inset	Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Guam (int.)

Both C. illepida and C. ombrodelta occur in Hawaii; the former is assumed to be native as it is has not been found in any other locality, and the latter has been introduced. In addition to the genitalic differences listed above, adults of these two species can be separated by a character on the male hind tibia: in C. ombrodelta there is an ovate bare patch that is absent in C. illepida.

Biology

The following account is from Namba (1957)Namba (1957):
Namba, R. 1957. Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Eucosmidae) and other insect pests of the macadamia nut in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 16: 284-297. who reared this species from macadamia.

Cryptophlebia illepida completes continuous generations and adults are present year-round. Females lay eggs singly on the fruit (nut) of the host; as many as 15 eggs may be found on a single fruit. Larvae bore into the husk and are generally not able to penetrate the shell after hardening. Average larval development time is 16 days. Pupation occurs in a tunnel near an exit hole in the husk. Husk damage is often responsible for nut drop prior to to maturity.

This species is an important pest of macadamia, litchi, mango, and koa in Hawaii. Larvae are moderately polyphagous and have been recorded feeding an a variety of other plants.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Mangifera indica	Anacardiaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.; Komai 1999Komai 1999: Komai, F. 1999. A taxonomic review of the genus Grapholita and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Palaearctic region. Entomologica Scandinavica Supplement 55. 226 pp.
Nephelium lappaceum	Euphorbiaceae	McQuate et al. 2000McQuate et al. 2000: McQuate, G. T., Folett, P. A., Yoshimoto, J. M. 2000. Field infestation of rambutan fruits by internal-feeding pests in Hawaii. Journal of Economic Entomology. 93: 846-851.
Acacia confusa	Fabaceae	Swezey 1908Swezey 1908: Swezey, O. H. 1908. Life history notes on two variable tortricids. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 2: 14-15., 1954; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Acacia farnesiana	Fabaceae	Swezey 1954Swezey 1954: Swezey, O. H. 1954. Forest Entomology in Hawaii. An annotated checklist of the insect faunas of the various components of the Hawaiian forests. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Special Publication 44. 266 pp.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Acacia koa	Fabaceae	Swezey 1919Swezey 1919: Swezey, O. H. 1919. Cause of scarcity of seeds of the Koa tree. Hawaiian Plantersrsquo; Record. 21: 102-105., 1954; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.; Stein 1983aStein 1983a: Stein, J. D. 1983a. The biology, host range, parasites, and hyperparasites of koa seed insects in Hawaii: a review. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 24: 317-326., b
Acacia koaia	Fabaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Acacia sp.	Fabaceae	Komai 1999Komai 1999: Komai, F. 1999. A taxonomic review of the genus Grapholita and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Palaearctic region. Entomologica Scandinavica Supplement 55. 226 pp.
Bauhinia purpurea	Fabaceae	Fletcher 1932Fletcher 1932: Fletcher, T. B. 1932. Life histories of Indian insects, Microlepidoptera, second series. The Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, Sci. Monogr. 2. 58 pp.
Caesalpinia kavaiense	Fabaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Inga edulis	Fabaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Mezoneuron kauaiense	Fabaceae	Swezey 1954Swezey 1954: Swezey, O. H. 1954. Forest Entomology in Hawaii. An annotated checklist of the insect faunas of the various components of the Hawaiian forests. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Special Publication 44. 266 pp.
Parkinsonia aculeata	Fabaceae	Fletcher 1932Fletcher 1932: Fletcher, T. B. 1932. Life histories of Indian insects, Microlepidoptera, second series. The Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, Sci. Monogr. 2. 58 pp.
Phaseolus sp.	Fabaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Pithecellobium dulce	Fabaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Senna sulfurea	Fabaceae	Swezey 1954Swezey 1954: Swezey, O. H. 1954. Forest Entomology in Hawaii. An annotated checklist of the insect faunas of the various components of the Hawaiian forests. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Special Publication 44. 266 pp.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Macadamia integrifolia	Proteaceae	MacKay 1959MacKay 1959: MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 10: 1-338.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.; Komai 1999Komai 1999: Komai, F. 1999. A taxonomic review of the genus Grapholita and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Palaearctic region. Entomologica Scandinavica Supplement 55. 226 pp.
Macadamia sp.	Proteaceae	Namba 1957Namba 1957: Namba, R. 1957. Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Eucosmidae) and other insect pests of the macadamia nut in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 16: 284-297.; Jones 1994
Aegle marmelos	Rutaceae	Fletcher 1932Fletcher 1932: Fletcher, T. B. 1932. Life histories of Indian insects, Microlepidoptera, second series. The Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, Sci. Monogr. 2. 58 pp.
Alectryon macrococcus	Sapindaceae	Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Dodonaea viscosa	Sapindaceae	Swezey 1954Swezey 1954: Swezey, O. H. 1954. Forest Entomology in Hawaii. An annotated checklist of the insect faunas of the various components of the Hawaiian forests. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Special Publication 44. 266 pp.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Litchi chinensis	Sapindaceae	Swezey 1908Swezey 1908: Swezey, O. H. 1908. Life history notes on two variable tortricids. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 2: 14-15.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.; Jones 1994
Sapindus oahuensis	Sapindaceae	Swezey 1954Swezey 1954: Swezey, O. H. 1954. Forest Entomology in Hawaii. An annotated checklist of the insect faunas of the various components of the Hawaiian forests. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Special Publication 44. 266 pp.; Zimmerman 1978Zimmerman 1978: Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp.
Sapindus saponaria

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Distribution

Cryptophlebia illepida has only been recorded only from Hawaii. Zimmerman (1978) suspected that it may be an immigrant, although preliminary molecular data supports it being a native species.

In Hawaii, it is generally more common in higher elevation forest and natural settings than C. ombrodelta, but can be found down to sea level in lower abundance. It is among the most common and widespread tortricids in Hawaii.