Platynota rostrana (Walker) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Sparganothini)
Common name: omnivorous Platynota moth
Synonyms: connexana (Teras), repandana (Teras), saturatana (Teras)
FWL: 6.0–7.0 mm (males); 7.0–9.0 (females)
Head yellow-brown to brown, thorax darker anteriorly in male; labial palpi long, shorter in male; male forewing with basal four-fifths densely mottled with dark brown and/or red-brown, distal fifth pale whitish-yellow or cream; well-developed forewing costal fold present; hindwing pale tan to orange with strongly contrasting strigulae and orange sex scales on anal margin; female forewing light brown or pale orange brown with one or more fine, oblique lines from the costa to the inner margin; hindwing pale orange brown.
Male genitalia are characterized by a slender uncus, wider at base; large, well-developed socii; and rounded, elliptical valvae with short ventral process at the midpoint of the sacculus. Female genitalia are characterized by a large, bowl-shaped sterigma; ostium large, somewhat globose; signum present as a thin, free spine.
The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a)MacKay (1962a):
MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182. and Powell and Brown (2012)Powell and Brown (2012):
Powell, J. A., Brown, J. W. 2012. Tortricoidea, Tortricidae (part): Tortricinae (part): Sparganothini and Atteriini. In: Hodges, R. W. (ed.). The Moths of North America, fascicle 8.1. Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, D.C., 230 pp..
Mature larva 14–17 mm in length; head 1.2–1.4 mm in width, clear brownish yellow (almost orange), darker pigmentation present laterally; prothoracic shield, pinacula, legs, and anal shield brownish yellow; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 usually 3:3:3:2:2; anal fork well-developed.
Adults of Platynota rostrana are most similar to adults of P. flavedana. Males can be separated by the complex scaling on the frons and the presence of long orange sex scales on the anal margin of the hindwing, both of which are absent in P. flavedana. Females usually can be identified by differences in forewing patterns and the shape of the signum.
Platynota rostrana is a primarily coastal species for much of its range, occurring from the Delmarva Peninsula of Virginia south to Florida and west to Louisiana. It ranges inland to west Texas and Arizona and the Baja Peninsula. It also occurs throughout much of Central America and the Caribbean and as far south as Brazil. It has also been accidentally introduced to Hawaii (Austin and Rubinoff 2022Austin and Rubinoff 2022:
Austin, K.A., Rubinoff, D. 2022. Eleven new records of Lepidoptera in the Hawaiian Islands including corrections to the Hawaii Terrestrial Arthropod Checklist. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 142: 49&-74.).
The following account is summarized from Nava et al. (2006)Nava et al. (2006):
Nava, D. E., Fortes, P., de Oliveira, D. G., Vieira, F. T., Ibelli, T. M., Guedes, J. V. C., Parra, J. R. P. 2006. Platynota rostrana (Walker) (Tortricidae) and Phidotricha erigens Ragonot (Pyralidae): artificial diet effects on biological cycle. Brazilian Journal of Biology. 66: 1037-1043. and Powell and Brown (2012)Powell and Brown (2012):
Powell, J. A., Brown, J. W. 2012. Tortricoidea, Tortricidae (part): Tortricinae (part): Sparganothini and Atteriini. In: Hodges, R. W. (ed.). The Moths of North America, fascicle 8.1. Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Washington, D.C., 230 pp..
Platynota rostrana is multivoltine, with the number of generations per year varying according to climate. In most of the range of P. rostrana, adults can be found year-round. In the United States, most capture dates for adults range from March to October. In a laboratory setting in Brazil, females laid approximately 300 eggs over the span of about a week. Eggs hatched in approximately 8 days, and the larva went through five instars before pupation took place. Larval development took an average of three weeks. In the wild, larvae feed by rolling leaves of the host plant together. Pupation takes place in the rolled leaves with adults eclosing about 8 days later. Total development from oviposition to eclosion of adults takes approximately 30 days, but likely takes longer at more northern latitudes.
Platynota rostrana is highly polyphagous, with larvae being recorded from a huge number of plants, including several economically important ones, such as citrus (Citrus spp.), mango (Mangifera spp.), pineapple (Ananas comosus), and peppers (Capsicum spp.). In Hawaii, larvae have been found feeding on several species of threatened and endangered native plants.
View full screen host table here
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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