Decodes fragariana

Type

Native

Taxonomy

Decodes fragariana (Busck) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Cnephasiini)

Synonyms: elapsa (Peronea)

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.0-8.5 mm

Forewings are gray with a strongly arched costacosta:
the anterior margin of each wing
. Forewing pattern varies, with some specimens marked with well-defined dark-gray fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
and others unmarked. 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 long, narrow, minutely spined uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; setosesetose:
covered with setae
sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; and elongate valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
. Female genitalia are characterized by unusual, modified papillae analespapillae anales:
the female ovipositor lobes
; 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

Larvae have not been described.

Similar Species

Decodes basiplagana is similar, but males have an aedeagusaedeagus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "phallus"
that is curved less than 90 degrees and females have a signumsignum:
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
. Decodes montanus is similar to both species, but the male aedeagusaedeagus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "phallus"
is more strongly curved than in D. fragariana and females of D. montanus have a band of dark scales on the seventh sternite that is lacking in the other two species. Wing pattern is not diagnostic and cannot be used to reliably separate the Decodes species included on this site.

Biology

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

Decodes fragariana completes one generation per year in California. Adults are present in late August through October. Females deposit eggs on rough twigs or bark and cover them with debris. The eggs enter diapause and overwinter until the following spring. Larvae hatch in the spring, construct a silken feeding tube on the bottom of a leaf or between two leaves, and feed on new growth until mature. Mature larvae drop to the ground and pupae in silk cocoons covered in soil or other particles. Adults eclose in the fall.

This species was originally described as feeding on strawberry; however, D. fragariana has subsequently been recorded feeding only on oak. Powell and Opler (2009) suggest that the individuals found in association with strawberry were simply pupating after having completed larval development on nearby oak trees. Thus, the specific epithet may be a misnomer.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
leaf litter	Fagaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus agrifolia	Fagaceae	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., 1980, 2006; Opler 1974Opler 1974: Opler, P. A. 1974. Biology, ecology, and host specificity of microlepidoptera associated with Quercus agrifolia (Fagaceae). University of California Press. vol. 75. 83 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.
Quercus douglasii	Fagaceae	Powell 1980; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus dumosa	Fagaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus durata	Fagaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus garryana	Fagaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus kelloggii	Fagaceae	Powell 1980
Quercus lobata	Fagaceae	Powell 1980; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus turbinella	Fagaceae	Opler 1974Opler 1974: Opler, P. A. 1974. Biology, ecology, and host specificity of microlepidoptera associated with Quercus agrifolia (Fagaceae). University of California Press. vol. 75. 83 pp.; Powell 1980
Quercus wislizeni	Fagaceae	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., 1980, 2006
Quercus sp.	Fagaceae	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 sp.	Rosaceae	LACM IndexLACM Index: LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).; Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.