Crocidosema Zeller (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Eucosmini)
The genus Crocidosema contains approximately 70 described species. Most species diversity occurs in the neotropics. Adults are brown or gray and wing patterns are typical of many Eucosmini, with numerous white costal strigulae and a well-defined ocellus. Males may or may not have forewing costal folds.
Male genitalia are characterized by large socii, a short uncus, and variably shaped valvae. Female genitalia are characterized by a pair of pockets or lobes on sternum VII and two signa in the corpus bursae.
Crocidosema plebejana, is cosmopolitan and occurs in Europe, northern Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, Central America, and South America, although molecular data suggests that multiple closely-related species may be involved. Larvae feed primarily on plants in the Malvaceae, and in some areas are a pest of cotton.
Crocidosema aporema is distributed from South Texas through Central and South America south to Argentina and Chile. It is a major pest of beans (Glycine max and Phaseolus spp.) in Central and South America, but has not been reported to cause economic damage in the United States. Larvae of C. aporema are frequently intercepted at United States ports of entry on beans originating from Central America, South America, or the Caribbean.
Crocidosema lantana is native to the neotropics, but has been widely introduced around the world as a biological control agent of Lantana.
Crocidosema perplexana and C. unica, not included in this tool, are commonly captured in Florida during surveys for C. aporema.
Exotic species
Native species
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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TortAI tool images at ipmimages.org - ITP Node
