Crocidosema Zeller
Type species: plebejana Zeller
DIAGNOSIS
External characters:
Venation:
venation C. plebejana
Forewing: Chorda and M -stem well developed; R 4 and R 5 set in close proximity.
Hindwing: M 2 and CuA 1 stalked or fused, M 1 close to R.
Forewing shape and markings:
Crocidosema plebejana adults
plebejana : forewing without costal fold, elongate, termen oblique; ground colour preserved in pale mid-dorsal - and pretornal patches.
Additional characters:
Hindwing with large cubital pecten in males.
Genitalia:
Male:
male genitalia C. plebejana
Uncus short; socius large, drooping, hairy; tuba analis small; basal opening of valva short, ovate; posterior angle of sacculus distinct, provided with bristles; valva highly constricted medially; cucullus broad, bristled. Aedeagus simple, with a bunch of deciduous cornuti.
Female:
female genitalia C. plebejana
Sterigma reduced to a median aciculate postvaginal patch; distal part of ductus bursae sclerotic except for the dorsal portion; cingulum long, folded; ductus seminalis extending from middle of cingulum; signa large. 7th sternite provided with postmedian lobes with a weak terminal portion.
Early stages:
MacKay, 1959, provides the following diagnosis for the larvae of Crocidosema plebejana based on chaetotaxy.
SV group usually trisetose on first and second abdominal segments and bisetose on seventh, eighth and ninth abdominal segments. V setae further apart on ninth abdominal segment than on eighth. L1 and L2 directly ventral to spiracle on first to seventh abdominal segments.
Biology:
There are two generations yearly; hibernation takes place in the egg stage. Larvae are polyphagous (Malva, Hibiscus, Crataegus) and feed in spun leaves, flowers, shoots or inside seed capsules; pupation takes place in a silken cocoon on the soil.
.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitic.