Type

Exotic

Native

Taxonomy

Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Overview

The genus Argyrotaenia contains approximately 115 described species. The vast majority of species occur in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Wing patterns vary widely across the genus, although there are a number of species with golden-brown forewings and a large reddish-brown median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
. Male genitalia are characterized by a spatulatespatulate:
spoonlike, narrow basally and enlarged and rounded apically
or fingerlike uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
and rounded valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
with a long, thin sacculussacculus:
the ventral margin of the male valva
. Female genitalia are characterized by a daggar-shaped signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
and a sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened; usually in reference to larval structures or adult genitalia
plate near the base of the ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
.

A single species, A. ljungiana Thunberg, is present in the Palearctic. Larvae of A. ljungiana are polyphagous and feed on a variety of plants, sometimes causing economic damage to grape, apple, and tea.

Argyrotaenia franciscana is a common species in California, Oregon, and Washington that has been recorded feeding on plants in more than 40 families. It is an occasional pest of crops and nursery stock in California, but is more often encountered as a non-target during Epiphyas postvittana surveys.

The other eight species treated here are common non-targets encountered in general tortricid surveys. It is difficult to distinguish between different species of Argyrotaenia using larval morphology. As such, most Argyrotaenia larvae intercepted at U.S. ports of entry are not identified beyond the subfamily or genus level. For photos of additional non-targets not covered here, visit the Moth Photographers Group link below.

Exotic species

Argyrotaenia ljungiana

Native species

Argyrotaenia amatana

Argyrotaenia franciscana

Argyrotaenia kimballi

Argyrotaenia mariana

Argyrotaenia niscana

Argyrotaenia pinatubana

Argyrotaenia quadrifasciana

Argyrotaenia quercifoliana 

Argyrotaenia velutinana

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Links

Additional photos and distribution maps for species in the United States and Canada are available at Moth Photographers Group.