Ptocheuusa inopella

MOTH INFO

Ptocheuusa inopella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae.

Superfamily: Gelechioidea > Family: Gelechiidae > Subfamily: Anomologinae > Genus: Ptocheuusa

Wingspan

10-12 mm

Habitat

Phrygana dry rocky slopes.

Food plant

The larva is oligophagous on Compositae (Helichrysum) and feeds on the flower heads.

Flight period*

*based on a few observations on the island

Links

Lepiforum e. V.

Plant Parasites of Europe

Review of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) from Crete – Ole Karsholt & Peter Huemer (2017)

Notes

The depicted species was spotted on Helichrysum conglobatum plants. More individuals of the Ptocheuusa inopella species were observed to rest on the plants or fly around them.

In “Review of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) from Crete – Ole Karsholt & Peter Huemer (2017)"  three species of the genus Ptocheuusa are described from the island of Crete; Ptocheuusa paupella (Zeller, 1847), Ptocheuusa minimella (Rebel, 1936) and Ptocheuusa sp. About the Ptocheuusa sp it is reported that the specimens resemble Ptocheuusa inopella in external appearance, but the genitalia examination shows that it is more closely related to Ptocheuusa paupella, though with differences in the phallus. In conclusion, it is emphasized that the genus Ptocheuusa needs to be revised.

For all the above reasons the identification of the depicted species, which appears very similar to Ptocheuusa inopella is very doubtful.