Author: (Oku, 1968)
Species Overview:
Adult: 11-17 mm wingspan. Head grey; forewing ground colour whitish, suffused with grey terminally; basal patch and median fascia leaden-grey; outer margin of basal patch angulated. Apical spot prominent, black. Hindwing greyish-brown, much paler towards base.
Larva: Retinia monopunctata larva
Pupa: Retinia monopunctata pupa
Taxonomic Description:
Male:
Retinia monopunctata adult
External characters: 13 mm wingspan. Antenna smooth, brownish-grey, minutely annulate with light grey. Head brownish-grey, mixed with white, especially on frontal tuft. Palpus ascending, brownish-grey, the median joint being expanded with dense scales towards top, and the apical joint exposed. Thorax brownish-grey; tip of tegula whitish. Abdomen grey, with anal tuft pale yellowish-grey. Forewing elongate, dilated towards termen, costa slightly arced, without fold; termen oblique, somewhat rounded; apex obtuse. Ground colour whitish, suffused with grey terminally. Basal patch reaching just beyond basal 1/4 of wing, leaden-grey, faintly striated with dark grey, mixed with blackish scales along its posterior margin, which is irregular and angularly curved out on fold towards termen; a band of whitish ground colour from posterior margin of basal patch to just before middle on costa and to about basal 2/3 on dorsum, with some greyish striae; posterior part of wing beyond this whitish band leaden-grey, its costal margin being greyish-brown and marked with several whitish strigulae; an irregular, often interrupted, greyish-brown stria passing through the leaden-greyish area from middle of costa to before tornus on dorsum, edged with an obscure whitish line posteriorly; a conspicuous black apical spot; some greyish-brown scales scattered along termen and below apical spot; cilia leaden-grey, brownish towards tip, with much faded subbasal shade. Hindwing narrowed towards obtuse apex; colour greyish-brown, much paler towards base; cilia grey, paler towards tornus, with darker subbasal and subapical lines, the former being distinct and the latter much obscure (Oku, 1968).
male genitalia R. monopunctata
Genitalia: Uncus reduced; socii moderate, straight; aedeagus stout, with approximately 12 thorn-like cornuti; ventral margin of valva with large notch; cucullus wide, with small projection at ventral-basal corner; clasper small, situated below costa at base of valva, obtuse at its apex.
Female:
External characters: Similar to male.
female gen. R. monopunctata
Genitalia: Papillae analis flat; apophyses posteriores shorter than apophyses anteriores; seventh sternite broadly sclerotized, sterigma not fused with the latter, ring-like, surrounding ostium bursae. Ductus bursa with well-developed cingulum; corpus bursae with two small signa, equal in size.
Biology:
There is one generation per year, moths flying from early May to mid June. Larvae tunnel into cones and shoots of Abies and Picea, and cones of Pinus and Larix. Pupation takes place in cocoons in cones and shoots; pupae hibernate (Komai, 1986).
Host plants:
Abies sachalinensis, Abies homolepis, Picea polita, Picea glehnii, Picea jezoensis, Picea abies, Abies holophylla, Pinus strobus, Larix kaempferi, Pinus koraiensis (Nasu, 1991).
Damage:
R. monopunctata - damaged cone
Retinia monopunctata was little known as a pest until 1986, but is now considered to be a comparatively destructive insect. Larvae feed in cones and shoots of coniferous trees.
Distribution:
Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku), Northern China, Russia (Primorskii Krai).
Pheromone:
Pheromone unknown.
In Japan, 4 species of Retinia occur. Besides Retinia cristata (Walsingham) and Retinia monopunctata (Oku), there are Retinia coeruleostriana (Caradja) and Retinia jezoensis Nasu.
1. Retinia coeruleostriana
In this species, the head is grey, the forewing ground colour is bluish plumbeous and the fasciate markings are orange brown, tinged with dark grey terminally (brownish-grey in monopunctata); the cucullus in the male genitalia is large and round [male gen. R. coelureostriana ].
Distribution: Japan (Northern and Central Honshu), Northern China, Russia (Primorskii krai).
Food plant: Shoot of Pinus densiflora.
2. Retinia jezoensis
Head yellowish brown; forewing markings blackish brown, ocellus obscure (conspicuous in cristata); posterior angle of sacculus obtuse (90 degrees in cristata); cucullus without ventral projection (with small ventral projection in monopunctata) [male genitalia R. jezoensis ].
Distribution: Japan (Hokkaido).
Food plant: unknown