Clepsis fucana

Type

Native

Taxonomy

Clepsis fucana (Walsingham) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Synonyms: busckana (Clepsis), victoriana (Cacoecia)

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.0-10.5 mm

Forewing color varies from dark brown to white. Most individuals have a well-defined median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
and costal spotcostal spot:
a patch of contrasting scales on the costa, usually a remnant of the postmedian or preterminal fascia
, although some may be nearly unmarked. Hindwing color is primarily white. 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 a well-developed uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; an incomplete transtilla divided into two spined lobes, and valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
with a small membranous lobe on the apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area
. Female genitalia are characterized by a long, straight ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
without a cestumcestum:
a long, bandlike sclerotization of the wall of the ductus bursae
and corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
without a signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a).

Mature larva approximately 13 mm in length; width of head 1.0-1.2 mm; head yellow, dark pigmentation presentation laterally; body pale yellow or green; pinaculapinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
moderately large with long setae; anal fork present; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 numbering 3:3:3:2:2.

Detailed figures of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
are available in MacKay (1962a).

Similar Species

Clepsis fucana, C. penetralis, C. peritana, and C. virescana are all similar in appearance. Clepsis fucana is generally larger than the other three species and is found only on the West Coast. Clepsis penetralis has only been recorded from Colorado, Utah, and Vermont, although it may be misidentified in collections making its true distribution unknown. Clepsis peritana is the most commonly collected Clepsis, and it can be found throughout the United States and southern Canada. Clepsis virescana is generally larger than C. peritana and males possess a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
. The following table lists diagnostic features that can be used to separate these four Clepsis species:

Clepsis species	FWLFWL: forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe	Male forewing costal foldforewing costal fold: a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales	Male valvavalva: an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation membranous lobe	Female ductus bursaeductus bursae: a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae	Female signumsignum: a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae	Distribution
fucana	6.5-10.5 mm	absent	present as small lobe	straight	absent	West Coast
penetralis	6.0-7.5 mm	absent	present as moderate lobe	weakly twisted	absent	Unknown; recorded from Colorado, Utah, and Vermont
peritana	4.5-7.5 mm	absent	absent; entire apexapex: the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area is membranous	tightly coiled	absent	United States and southern Canada
virescana	6.0-9.0 mm	present	present as small lobe	straight	present	United States and southern Canada

Biology

The following account is summarized from Powell (1964b).

Clepsis fucana completes two generations per year. Adults are most common in April to June and again in September and October. Larvae hollow out terminals of the host and feed on leaves that are webbed to the larval shelter.

Larvae of Clepsis fucana have been recorded feeding on plants in a variety of families.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Anaphalis margaritacea	Asteraceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Anaphalis sp.	Asteraceae	Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.
Gnaphalium sp.	Asteraceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Senecio jacobaea	Asteraceae	Frick & Hawkes 1970
[unspecified]	Boraginaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Marah oreganus	Cucurbitaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Quercus agrifolia	Fagaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Phacelia californica	Hydrophyllaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Stachys bullata	Lamiaceae	Keifer 1933Keifer 1933: Keifer, H. H. 1933. California Microlepidoptera. VI. Calif. Dept. Agric. Month. Bull. 22: 351-365.; Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Stachys sp.	Lamiaceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.
Cyclamen sp.	Primulaceae	Keifer 1935Keifer 1935: Keifer, H. H. 1935. California Microlepidoptera. VII. Calif. Dept. Agric. Month. Bull. 24: 195-218.; MacKay 1962aMacKay 1962a: MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182.; Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.
Frangula californica	Rhamnaceae	Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.
Fragaria chiloensis	Rosaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Horkelia californica	Rosaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Rubus parviflorus	Rosaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Rubus sp.	Rosaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Scrophularia californica	Scrophulariaceae	Keifer 1933Keifer 1933: Keifer, H. H. 1933. California Microlepidoptera. VI. Calif. Dept. Agric. Month. Bull. 22: 351-365.; Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.; Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.; De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Scrophularia sp.	Scrophulariaceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.; Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.
Urtica dioica holosericea	Urticaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.