Cryptophlebia peltastica

Status

EXOTIC

PORT INTERCEPT

Taxonomy

Cryptophlebia peltastica (Meyrick) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)

Common names: litchi moth

Adult Recognition

FWL: 8.0–13.0 mm

Adults are brown to reddish brown with a dark brown pretornal spot that is reduced in males. Males have sex scales on the hindwing, hind tibia, and abdomen. Males lack a forewing costal fold.

Male genitalia are characterized by swollen valvae with three large spines on the cucullus and a densely setose distal margin. Female genitalia are characterized by an ovate sterigma that is surrounded with, and fused to, the posterior margin of sternum VII and two signa in the corpus bursae.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from Williams (1953)Williams (1953):
Williams, J. R. 1953. The larvae and pupae of some important Lepidoptera. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 43: 691-701., Timm (2005)Timm (2005):
Timm, A. E. 2005. Morphological and molecular studies of Tortricid moths of economic importance to the South African fruit industry. Ph.D. dissertation, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. 127 pp., and Rentel (2013)Rentel (2013):
Rentel, M. Morphology and taxonomy of tortricid moth pests attacking fruit crops in South Africa. Ph.D. dissertation, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. 133 pp..

Mature larva approximately 20 mm in length; head dark brown; body reddish to pink; anal fork absent. Other characters likely similar to those found in Cryptophlebia illepida and C. ombrodelta. Other diagnostic features of Cryptophlebia larvae include: T1 prespiracular pinaculum extends below the spiracle; SV counts on A1,2,7,8,9 as 3:3:2(3):2(1):1; SV seta on A8 and A9 bisetose; spiracle on A8 near posterior margin of segment and displaced dorsally; L group on A9 usually trisetose (occasionally bisetose); D1 and SD1 setae on same pinaculum on A9; and D2 setae on shared saddle pinaculum on A9.

Detailed figures of larval chaetotaxy are available in Timm (2005)Timm (2005):
Timm, A. E. 2005. Morphological and molecular studies of Tortricid moths of economic importance to the South African fruit industry. Ph.D. dissertation, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. 127 pp. and Rentel (2013)Rentel (2013):
Rentel, M. Morphology and taxonomy of tortricid moth pests attacking fruit crops in South Africa. Ph.D. dissertation, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. 133 pp..

Similar Species

Adults of most Cryptophlebia species are superficially similar and are often mixed in museum collections. A genitalic dissection is usually necessary to confirm identity. The three species treated here, C. illepida, C. ombrodelta, and C. peltastica, can be separated by genitalic characters and geographic distribution, as outlined in the following table.

Species	Male valva	Female sterigma	Distribution
illepida	two large spines, multiple rows of marginal spines	wide, V-shaped	Hawaii
ombrodelta	three large spines	narrow, V-shaped, separate	Australia, Guam, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Hawaii (int.)
peltastica	three large spines, margin densely setose	narrow, ovate, deeply inset	Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Guam (int.)

Distribution

Cryptophlebia peltastica is broadly distributed in Africa and has also been recorded from the Seychelles, Madagascar, and Mauritius. It has been introduced to Guam (Bradley 1953Bradley 1953:
Bradley, J. D. 1953. Some important species of the genus Cryptophlebia Walsingham, 1899, with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research. 43: 679-689.).

Biology

The following account is summarized from Newton and Crause (1990)Newton and Crause (1990):
Newton, P. J., Crause, C. 1990. Oviposition on Litchi chinensis by Cryptophlebia species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Phytophylactica. 22: 365-367..

Development of Cryptophlebia peltastica is continuous, and adults are present year-round. Females lay eggs singly on fruit. Larvae tunnel through the skin and into the fruit, and feed on the seeds. Larval development is complete in 2–4 weeks. Pupation occurs in the fruit or in the ground. Adults emerge in 1–2 weeks.

Cryptophlebia peltastica is the primary pest of lychee (Litchi chinensis) in South Africa and Mauritius, with larvae damaging up to 20% of fruits in commercial orchards. This species is also a pest of macadamia (Macadamia spp.) in South Africa. Larvae have been recorded feeding on a variety of plants, and their polyphagous nature allows them to continue development when primary hosts are unavailable.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here