Exotic
Histura perseavora Brown (Tortricidae: Chlidanotinae: Polyorthini)
FWL: 5.0-5.5 mm
Forewing pattern bicolored with dark gray-brown basal third and pale copper distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
two-thirds, three linear patches of raised scales, fringe pale copper to gray-brown. Hindwing grayish white, fringe concolorous.
Male genitalia are distinguished by the medially narrowed transtilla and the presence of a linear patch of long spines in the distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment half of the phallusphallus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "aedeagus" 
. Female genitalia typical of Polyorthini: papillae analespapillae anales:
the female ovipositor lobes 
narrow, corpus bursae not differentiated from ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
and without signasigna:
plural of "signum"
.
The following account is summarized from Brown & Hoddle (2010).
Mature larva 6-7 mm in length; body cream pink with moderately large, conspicuous, dark brown pinaculapinacula:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
. See Brown & Hoddle (2010) for a complete description of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
and pupae.
Adults of several species of Histura and Histurodes are similar to H. perseavora. Examination of the genitalia may be required. Larval feeding damage is similar to Stenoma catenifer (Depressariidae), another pest of avocado.
The larvae of H. perseavora damage fruit and fruit pedicels of avocados (Persea americana) and will also mine young branches when fruit is scarce. In Guatemala, larval feeding, pupation, and subsequent eclosion of adults occurred between December and March (Brown & Hoddle 2010).
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) |
| Persea americana | Lauraceae | Brown & Hoddle 2010, Hoddle & Brown 2011Brown 2011: Brown, J. W. 2011. Tools for identifying the larvae of leafrollers (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) frequently intercepted at U.S. ports of entry. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, D.C. 19 pp. |
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Histura perseavora is currently only known from Guatemala between elevations of 1,500-1,800 meters, but could be expected anywhere avocado is grown around this elevation.
