Moths of North Carolina
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Coptotriche Members:
27 NC Records

Coptotriche castaneaeella (Chambers, 1875) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tischerioidea Family: TischeriidaeP3 Number: 230026.00 MONA Number: 140.00
Comments: Coptotriche is a genus of specialized leafminers that currently consists of 28 recognized Nearctic species. Most species fall within one of two major groups. Members of the first group typically have orangish to yellowish fore wings (rarely white) and specialize on oaks and chestnuts, while members of the second group have dark gray, brown, or blackish fore wings and mostly feed on members of the Rosaceae (Braun, 1972; Eiseman, 2019).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Braun (1972)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1972)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is from Braun's (1972) description based on studies of 29 specimens from throughout the range of the species. The face varies from whitish ocherous to pale straw-colored. The scales of the vertex and crown vary from straw-colored to deep ocherous, and project forward as a bifurcated tuft (often not evident in worn specimens). The scape of the antenna is straw-colored or ocherous, and the shaft becomes fuscous towards the tip. The thorax is concolorous with the head. The forewing is somewhat shining and the base is concolorous with the head and thorax. The base varies from whitish to ocherous (sometimes pale lemon yellow) and gradually shades to orange yellow. The tips of the scales in the apex are microscopically brownish, but do not produce a dusted effect. Rarely, the wing of the male shades to a deep reddish brown color in the apex and along the outer half of the costal margin. The underside is brownish and lacks sex scales, and the surface is dusted. The hindwing is less than half the width of the forewing in both sexes except at the extreme base. It is pale gray, but can be darker in dark males. The cilia vary from gray to ocherous with a faint reddish tinge. A costal tuft of brown scales is present near the base. The legs are ocherous and shaded with dark brown outwardly. The abdomen is ocherous above, with a little dusting on several terminal segments in the male. The underside of the abdomen is densely dusted with brownish fuscous scales, which may spread laterally and densely dust the posterior half of the abdomen above.

Braun (1972) noted that Coptotriche castaneaeella is best recognized using the distinctive leaf mines. The forewing of the adults are extremely variable and small males are indistinguishable from C. fuscomarginella. However, small specimens may be separated from C. fuscomarginella by the gray and somewhat wider hindwing of C. castaneaeella. Specimens that we have reared from North Carolina show varying levels of relatively dark and contrasting coloration on the apical fourth to third of the wing.
Wingspan: 7-10 mm (Braun, 1972).
Adult Structural Features: Braun (1972) provides keys for identifying males and females based on genitalia. Her verbatim description of the genitalia follows: vinculum with a very short anterior projection; harpe broad, setae moderately long; anellus a broad truncated cone, minutely spinulose in transverse rows, the spinules appearing as fine stippling; forks of aedeagus rounded apically, and toward apex bearing an oblique row of curved sharp teeth; forks of uncus long and acuminate, not widely separated. Female genitalia: ovipositor lobes much larger than lateral lobes, peg setae pointed and covering entire surface; lateral lobes with short pointed setae; posterior margin of sex opening strongly sclerotized; posterior apophyses very long and slender, scarcely enlarging at tips; segment 8 not reduced, arms of patibulum broad; prela moderate in size.
Immatures and Development: The leaf mine of this species is distinctive due to the presence of concentric crescents on the loosened upper epidermis. A larva initially produces a linear tract that gradually enlarging to produce a somewhat trumpet-shaped mine. This continues to broaden out towards the end of the feeding stage. The mine is normally gray, with the frass packed towards the beginning of the mine. The expanded portion of the mine is paler gray and the concentric markings are conspicuous. Pupation takes place in an elongate oval silken-lined chamber that is overlain by a finely wrinkled epidermis.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Coptotriche castaneaeella is widely distributed in eastern North America from southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and the northeastern US to as far south as Florida. As of 2022, our North Carolina records are from the mountains and the eastern Piedmont and western Coastal Plain where collecting has been most concentrated.
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)

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