Neoleucinodes elegantalis

Taxonomy

Classification

Crambidae: Spilomelinae: Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guenée)

Common name

tomato fruit borer

Larval diagnosis (Summary)

  • Stemmastemma:
    a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
    1 and stemmastemma:
    a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
    2 closely spaced
  • Prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
    the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
    without spots or faintly mottled
  • Pale body pinaculapinaculum:
    a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
  • SD1 pinaculapinaculum:
    a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
    on A2 and A7 not reduced
  • Inconspicuous SD2 setaeseta:
    a hairlike projection of the body wall that is articulated in a socket; compare to spine
    and pinaculapinaculum:
    a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
    on A3-6
  • SV group on A1 unisetoseunisetose:
    one seta
  • SD1 anterioranterior:
    front; in front of
    or anterodorsad of the spiracle on A8
  • Host is a cultivated species of Solanum

Host/origin information

Neoleucinodes elegantalis is most commonly intercepted on cultivated Solanum originating from Central or South America. Interceptions from Brazil account for more than 60% of all records.

Origin Host(s)
Brazil Solanum
Ecuador Solanum
Honduras Solanum
Peru Solanum
Venezuela Solanum

Recorded distribution

Neoleucinodes elegantalis is widely distributed throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean (Hayden et al. 2013Hayden et al. 2013:
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
).

Identification Authority (Summary)

Morphology, host, and orgin are important considerations when identifying N. elegantalis. It seems safest to restrict identifications of N. elegantalis to those larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
with the combination of morphological characters listed above and originating from the New World on cultivated Solanum. Given the subtle larval differences among species of Neoleucinodes, interceptions on wild Solanum species should probably stop at genus unless the specimen very clearly fits characters of N. elegantalis.

Detailed information

Larval diagnosis (Detailed)

Capps (1948)Capps (1948):
Capps, H. W. 1948. Status of the pyraustid moths of the genus Leucinodes in the New World, with descriptions of new genera and species. Proceedings of the United Sates National Museum 98: 69-83.
described the larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
of N. elegantalis and included a setal mapsetal map:
a flat, diagrammatic drawing of the arrangement of the setae on one side of a larva
. Diaz and Solis (2007), Diaz et al. (2013) and Hayden et al. (2013)Hayden et al. (2013):
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
added larval photographs, discussed its relationship to sibling species in the genus, and included detailed notes on identification. Other partial descriptions were given by Capps (1963)Capps (1963):
Capps, H. W. 1963. Notes on the order Lepidoptera. From lectures presented by Hahn W. Capps. U.S. Department of Agriculture training aid. Reproduced 1964. 29 pp.
, Passoa (1985)Passoa (1985):
Passoa, S. 1985. Taxonomy of the larvae and pupae of economically important Pyralidae in Honduras. Master's Thesis. University of Florida. Gainesville. 486 pp.
, Weisman (1974, 1986), and Solis (2011)Solis (2011):
Solis, M. A. 2011. Key to selected Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) larvae intercepted at U. S. ports of entry: revision of Pyraloidea in "Keys to some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae" by Weisman 1986 (updated 2006).
.

Typically, the head and prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
are pale yellow, the body pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
are not pigmented, and D1 on A2-8 lacks dark spots on the anterioranterior:
front; in front of
margin of the pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
(Weisman 1986Weisman 1986:
Weisman, D. M. 1986. Keys for the identification of some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine series 81-47. 64 pp.
). Capps (1963)Capps (1963):
Capps, H. W. 1963. Notes on the order Lepidoptera. From lectures presented by Hahn W. Capps. U.S. Department of Agriculture training aid. Reproduced 1964. 29 pp.
mentioned that S1 is touching or anterioranterior:
front; in front of
to a vertical line connecting stemmatastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
2 and 3, stemmastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
2 is closer to stemmastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
1 than stemmastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
3, and the prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
has light brown markings. He noted variation in the SV group of A1 (normally bisetosebisetose:
two setae
but frequently unisetoseunisetose:
one seta
) and the crochetscrochets:
sclerotized, hooklike structures, usually arranged in rows or circles on the prolegs of Lepidoptera larvae
(often in a circle but weaker laterally on at least some of the prolegsprolegs:
fleshy, unjointed abdominal legs with or without crochets; false legs
). The first mandibular rib has an inner tooth (called a projection on the lower tooth by Capps).

Diaz and Solis (2007) separated N. elegantalis from the newly described N. silvaniae in several ways. Neoleucinoides elegantalis usually has flat pale body pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
that is concolorous with the cuticle. These pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
are dark, sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened and tanned, so that it is yellow to black in color
, raised and contrasting in N. silvaniae, particularly on the mesothoraxmesothorax:
the second thoracic segment
. The prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
of N. elegantalis has light brown markings but lacks a black reniformreniform:
kidney-shaped
spot posteriorposterior:
caudal or rear
to XD2. This is different from the dark brown prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
of N. silvaniae with a black reniformreniform:
kidney-shaped
spot posteriorposterior:
caudal or rear
to XD2. The SD2 setaseta:
a hairlike projection of the body wall that is articulated in a socket; compare to spine
on A3-8 is short and located on pale pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
in N. elegantalis. Both SD2 and its pinaculumpinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
are more prominent in N. silvaniae.

Hayden et al. (2013)Hayden et al. (2013):
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
[see below] studied the larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
of N. elegantalisN. torvis, and N. prophetica. Unlike most N. elegantalis, both N. torvis and N. prophetica have a spot on the anterioranterior:
front; in front of
margin of D1 on A2-8 that is either dark or pale. The illustration of N. torvis differs from N. elegantalis in that the genal marking is large, only the dorsaldorsal:
at the top or back or above
surface is contrastingly pink and both the thoracic D and SD pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
are large and pigmented. The prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
is mottled with no defined laterallateral:
to the side, or at the side of
spots and there is only a trace of a spot at the posteriorposterior:
caudal or rear
margin. The larval photograph of N. prophetica, although dark from preservation, has the thoracic D and SD pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
large and raised, perhaps being pigmented in living material. The large diameter of the prothoracic spiracle, compare to the spiracle on A1, seems unusual. The prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
is mottled, with no trace of spots. The SD1 pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
of A2 and A7 are not reduced in any species of Neoleucinodes and SD1 is anterioranterior:
front; in front of
or anterodorsad of the spiracle on A8 (Hayden et al. 2013Hayden et al. 2013:
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
).

As discussed in the data sheet for L. orbonalis, Weisman (1986)Weisman (1986):
Weisman, D. M. 1986. Keys for the identification of some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine series 81-47. 64 pp.
used the presence of a dark spot on the anterioranterior:
front; in front of
margin of D1 on A2-8 to separate L. orbonalis from Neoleucinodes. However, some Neoleucinodes, including N. elegantalis, also have this spot (Solis 2011Solis 2011:
Solis, M. A. 2011. Key to selected Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) larvae intercepted at U. S. ports of entry: revision of Pyraloidea in "Keys to some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae" by Weisman 1986 (updated 2006).
, Hayden et al. 2013Hayden et al. 2013:
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
).

Passoa (1985)Passoa (1985):
Passoa, S. 1985. Taxonomy of the larvae and pupae of economically important Pyralidae in Honduras. Master's Thesis. University of Florida. Gainesville. 486 pp.
cited a record for frequent captures of D. nitidalis in eggplant fruit from El Salvador. This could be a case of general confusion; both D. nitidalis and N. elegantalis have mature larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
with a similar coloration. It may also represent a case of N. elegantalis having a bisetosebisetose:
two setae
SV group on A1 as mentioned by Capps (1948)Capps (1948):
Capps, H. W. 1948. Status of the pyraustid moths of the genus Leucinodes in the New World, with descriptions of new genera and species. Proceedings of the United Sates National Museum 98: 69-83.
. At least with port interceptions, most Neoleucinodes specimens are unisetoseunisetose:
one seta
(SPIC).

Identification Authority (Detailed)

Morphology, host, and orgin are important considerations when identifying N. elegantalis. The presence of a unisetoseunisetose:
one seta
SV group on A1 seems to be very distinctive for recognizing Neoleucinodes and close relatives worldwide. It was used in several keys (Passoa 1985Passoa 1985:
Passoa, S. 1985. Taxonomy of the larvae and pupae of economically important Pyralidae in Honduras. Master's Thesis. University of Florida. Gainesville. 486 pp.
, Weisman 1986Weisman 1986:
Weisman, D. M. 1986. Keys for the identification of some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine series 81-47. 64 pp.
, Solis 2011Solis 2011:
Solis, M. A. 2011. Key to selected Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) larvae intercepted at U. S. ports of entry: revision of Pyraloidea in "Keys to some frequently intercepted lepidopterous larvae" by Weisman 1986 (updated 2006).
, Hayden et al. 2013Hayden et al. 2013:
Hayden, J. E., S. Lee, S. C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L. A. Somma and K. M. Ahlmark. 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera in Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO.
) for partially identifying Neoleucinodes. Other sibling species of Neoleucinodes with known larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
(N. torvisN. silvaniae, and probably N. prophetica) have pigmented pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
, at least on the mesothoraxmesothorax:
the second thoracic segment
. The body pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
of N. elegantalis are pale and D1 on A2-8 usually lacks dark or pale spots on the anterioranterior:
front; in front of
margin of the pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
.

Unlike other Neoleucinodes that occur throughout Latin America, N. silvaniae is currently only known from Colombia (Diaz et al. 2013). Old World interceptions cannot be Neoleucinodes.

It seems safest to restrict identifications of N. elegantalis to those larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
with stemmastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
1 and stemmastemma:
a simple eye of holometabolous larvae
2 closely spaced, a prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
the dorsal shieldlike covering of the first thoracic segment
without spots that is at most faintly mottled, body pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
that are pale, SD1 pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
on A2 and A7 not reduced, an inconspicuous SD2 setaseta:
a hairlike projection of the body wall that is articulated in a socket; compare to spine
and pinaculumpinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
on A3-6, a unisetoseunisetose:
one seta
SV group on A1, SD1 being anterioranterior:
front; in front of
or anterodorsad of the spiracle on A8 and the host being a cultivated species of Solanum. Given the subtle larval differences among species of Neoleucinodes, and a need to study variation in the taxonomic characters, interceptions on wild Solanum species should probably stop at genus unless the specimen very clearly fits characters of N. elegantalis.

Interception Records

Origin records

Neoleucinodes elegantalis has been intercepted from the following locations:

Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica (?), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Origins from outside of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean likely represent misidentifications and are not listed here.

Host records

Neoleucinodes elegantalis has been intercepted on the following hosts:

Abelmoschus esculentus, Araceae, Brassica sp., Cajanus cajanCapsicum annuumCapsicum pubescensCapsicum sp., Coccinea grandisCucumis sp., Cucurbita sp., Cyphomandra sp., Diospyros sp., Fabaceae, Inga edulisInga sp., Lucuma sp., Lycopersicon esculentumLycopersicon sp., Mangifera indicaMentha sp., Passiflora edulisPhysalis ixocarpaPsidium guajavaSechium edule, Solanaceae, Solanum aethiopicumSolanum berejenaSolanum betaceumSolanum integrifoliumSolanum melongenaSolanum muricatumSolanum quitoenseSolanum sp., Solanum torvumSolanum tuberosumSpondias sp., Syzygium jambosVigna unguiculataZea mays

Plants listed here that are not cultivated species of Solanum need confirmation.

Setal Map

Click here to download a full-size printable PDF of this larval setal map

Neoleucinodes elegantalis Setal Map
 

Downloadable PDF

Click here to download a PDF of this fact sheet content and images

Fig. 1: Late instar, lateral view
Fig. 1: Late instar, lateral view
Fig. 2: Late instar, lateral view
Fig. 2: Late instar, lateral view
Fig. 3: Head and thorax, lateral view
Fig. 3: Head and thorax, lateral view
Fig. 4: T1 shield
Fig. 4: T1 shield
Fig. 5: SV group on A1
Fig. 5: SV group on A1
Fig. 6: Crochets
Fig. 6: Crochets
Fig. 7: Head
Fig. 7: Head
Fig. 8: Hypo. complex
Fig. 8: Hypo. complex
Fig. 9: Mandible
Fig. 9: Mandible