Moths of North Carolina
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5 NC Records

Coptotriche purinosella (Chambers, 1875) - No Common Name

Coptotriche purinosellaCoptotriche purinosellaCoptotriche purinosella
Taxonomy
Family: TischeriidaeP3 Number: 23a0036 MONA Number: 135.00
Comments: Coptotriche is a genus of specialized leafminers that currently consists of 27 recognized Nearctic species. Most species fall within one of two major groups. Members of the first group typically have orangish to yellowish forewings (rarely white) and specialize on oaks and chestnuts, while members of the second group have dark gray, brown, or blackish forewings and mostly feed on members of the Rosaceae (Braun, 1972; Eiseman, 2019).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Braun (1972).Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1972); Eiseman (2022).                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a distinctive Coptotriche that has whitish forewings with concentrations of purplish-brown to blackish scales on the apex, costa, inner margin and tornus. The detailed description that follows is based on that of Braun (1972). The face, tuft, and antennae are whitish and faintly tinged with pale straw or lemon yellow. The ground color of the forewing has the same whitish straw-color, and usually has a faint dusting of dark-tipped scales. A line of blackish-purple or blackish scales extends along the costal margin to just beyond the middle of the costa where it expands into a small and somewhat triangular spot that is very rarely absent. Concentrations of similar-colored scales occur at the apex, along the basal half of the dorsal margin and at the tornus, but these can vary substantially in the degree to which they are expressed. The cilia around the apex is brownish red. It becomes paler toward the tornus, but still retains the reddish tinge.

The hindwing is pale straw-colored and usually has a grayish tinge, while the base of the costa is thickened with dark fuscous scales. The cilia are reddish tinged at the apex of the wing, and the legs are pale straw-colored and dusted with fuscous. The abdomen also is pale straw-colored, and sometimes has a dusting of dark scales above.
Wingspan: 6 - 7 mm (Braun, 1972).
Adult Structural Features: Braun (1972) provides keys and illustrations for identifying both males and females based on genitalia. Her verbatim description of the genitalia follows. Male genitalia: vinculum very obtusely angled; harpe narrow at base, ventral margin concave, setae short; anellus with shallow ventral sinus, microscopically spinulose; stalk of aedeagus long, very slender, forks slender, spined, the spines directed toward base, smaller and closer together toward base; forks of uncus gradually tapering, not acuminate, membrane between with a deeply curved sclerotization.

Female genitalia: ovipositor lobes much larger than lateral lobes, peg setae slender, setae of lateral lobes slender; posterior apophyses enlarged at tips; segment 8 narrowly and strongly sclerotized posteriorly, arms of patibulum articulating with anterior apophyses distad of their middle; prela large.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the upper leaf surfaces of oaks, and the mines tend to retain their whitish appearance throughout the mining period. Each larva forms a small. white, oblong mine with broadly wavy margins. The mine is usually produced at the leaf margin, but in some instances may be away from the margin. The loosened epidermis eventually is drawn into a series of fine ridges, then the larva pupates beneath the central part that tends to be sharply-defined (Braun, 1972; Eiseman, 2022). The pupal stage presumably lasting only a few weeks based on the fact that there can be several generations per year. Braun (1972) noted that moths from overwintering pupae appear in April, with a late generation maturing in October.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Scattered populations of Coptotriche purinosella have been found through many areas of the eastern US and in southern Ontario. In the US, specimens has been documented in Massachusetts, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana. As of 2024, our very limited records are from the Blue Ridge and eastern Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Local populations are multivoltine, with the flight season spanning from April through November. As of 2024, our very limited records are from late-April to mid-August.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are associated with hardwood forests, woodlots, fence lines and residential neighborhoods, particularly where White Oak is present.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae mine the leaves of oaks, particularly members of the white oak group (Braun, 1972; Eiseman, 2022). The reported hosts include White Oak (Quercus alba), Burr Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Chestnut Oak (Q. montana), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii) and Post Oak (Q. stellata). The larvae have also been reported to use Southern Red Oak (Q. falcata), Darlington Oak (Q. hemisphaerica) and Water Oak (Q. nigra) in Florida, but these reports need additional verification. As of 2024, we have host records for White Oak in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and have been obtained by rearing larvae from mines in White Oak.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S3
State Protection:
Comments: Coptotriche purinosella appears to be a somewhat rare species in North Carolina despite the fact that the primary host tree (White Oak) is common and widespread in the state. More information is needed on its distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Coptotriche purinosella - No common name

Photos: 5

Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2023-08-28
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2023-08-11
Wake Co.
Comment: An adult that was reared from a mine in White Oak.
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2023-08-09
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-04-25
Orange Co.
Comment: