Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFHeliozelidae Members: Antispila Members: 10 NC Records

Antispila cornifoliella Clemens, 1860 - No Common Name

Antispila cornifoliella
view caption 		Antispila cornifoliella
view caption 		Antispila cornifoliella
view caption 		Antispila cornifoliella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Adeloidea		 Family:
Heliozelidae		P3 Number:
21a0080		 MONA Number:
232.00
Comments: Antispila is one of the largest genera within the Heliozelidae, and there are 12 described species in North America. A recent molecular analysis of the family revealed that the genus is polyphyletic with three genetically distinct groups that do not cluster together (Milla et al., 2018). About half of the currently recognized species will likely be assigned to other genera in the future.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Clemens (1860a)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Clemens (1860a)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description of the adults is based on Clemens (1860a) and LaFontaine (1973). The head, face, and labial palps are dark brown. The antenna is dark brown with a light tip and the basal joint is somewhat ochreous. The forewing has a rather dull dark brown ground color with a coppery hue. Near the base there is a rather narrow fascia that varies from silvery white to light golden. The fascia often broadens towards the inner margin, and is closer to the base on the inner margin compared to the costal end. The fascia is not constricted at the fold of the wing as in A. nysaefoliella. At the apical third of the wing is a small silvery white to golden costal spot that is roughly triangular in shape. Nearly opposite to this, and slightly more basal, is a matching larger or equal-sized triangular spot on the inner margin that usually extends half way or so across the wing. The cilia are dark gray. The hindwings is purplish brown and the cilia somewhat paler, with a coppery hue. The legs are brownish, with a slightly lighter hue than the forewings. Antispila cornifoliella is difficult to distinguish from several closely related species (e.g., A. isabella, A. freemani, A. nysaefoliella, A. viticordifoliella) based on photographic images. These species are best identified by using DNA markers, genitalia, or a combination of host plants and/or geographic ranges (Nieukerken et al. 2012). Antispila cornifoliella can be distinguished from A. nysaefoliella by the light antenna tip, the brown thorax, and the fascia that is not constricted at the cell.

There are two Antispila species in North Carolina that specialize on dogwoods (A. cornifoliella and A. freemani). Antispila cornifoliella typically produces a linear-blotch mine that originates away from the leaf margin, while A. freemani produces a blotch mine that originals at the leaf margin. Based on DNA barcoding data, A. freemani appears to be a more northern form that is found primarily in Canada and the New England states, while A. cornifoliella is more widely distributed throughout the eastern US to as far south as Florida. The recent discovery of A. freemani in the western mountains suggests that a disjunct population occurs in the southern Appalachians. Antispila cornifoliella is presumed to occur more widely in the state, although all of our records as of 2021 are from the eastern Piedmont and western Coastal Plain where Tracy Feldman has surveyed for leafminers.
Adult Structural Features: LaFontaine (1973) reported that the phallobase of the males of this species is very narrow and inconspicuous. The comb is nearly square with 8-11 teeth. The spines at the apex of the aedeagus are much finer and less extensive than those of A. freemani and A. nyssaefoliella. Males of A. cornifoliella and A. freemani can be separated without dissection by examining the dense tuft of scales on the underside of the forewing near the base. On A. cornifoliella the tuft is dark brown, while on A. freemani it is bright yellow. The female genitalia resemble those of A. nyssaefoliella, but the spines on the anterior portion of the bursa copulatrix are very small and scattered (LaFontaine, 1973).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: According to Eiseman (2019), the full-surface mine begins with a long, narrow, linear portion, then eventually expands into a blotch. On dogwoods other than Cornus canadensis, the linear portion is sometimes highly contorted, and is often surrounded by red discoloration. It may follow the midrib or a vein for over 2 cm, then double back on itself before finally expanding into a blotch. At maturity, the larva cuts a characteristic oval hole out of the leaf and constructs a double-sided pupal case by encasing themselves with silk between the upper and lower mine layers. The pupal case has a prominent longitudinal ridge along the center and several “spokes” projecting from either end (Eiseman, 2019). The final-instar larva overwinters in the case, and pupation and adult emergence occur the following spring or early summer. The mature larva has a dark brown head and thoracic shield, and a nearly white abdomen. The abdomen has seven minute, black points along the dorsum, and eight on the ventral surface that are somewhat larger and more distinct (Clemens (1860a).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Antispila cornifoliella is widespread throughout eastern North America. The range extends from southeastern Canada (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) and the New England states, to as far west as Kansas, and as far south as Florida. As of 2019, our records are from the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Antispila cornifoliellaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.