The Cnephasiini contains approximately 250 species that are distributed primarily in the Holarctic region. Forewing pattern varies within the tribe, but many North American representatives are yellow, gray, or white. Male genitalia are characterized by an uncus covered in small spines. Female genitalia are characterized by papillae anales that are modified to cover eggs with debris, and a band-shaped, poorly-defined signum. Synapomorphies for the group include the floricomous papillae anales (i.e., with nail-head-like setae), the finely spined uncus, the absence of cornuti, and pheromones based on 12-carbon chains (Roelofs and Brown 1982Roelofs and Brown 1982:
Roelofs, W. L., Brown, R. L. 1982. Pheromones and evolutionary relationships of Tortricidae. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 13: 395-422., Safonkin 2007Safonkin 2007:
Safonkin, A. F. 2007. Pheromones and phylogenetic relations of leafrollers (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Zoologicheskii Zhurnal. 86(12): 1464-1467. [Entomological Review 87(9): 1238-1241]). The shape of the signum is extremely similar to that of Tortricini, and the floricomous ovipositor characteristic of Cnephasiini is present in a few putatively primitive Tortricini.
This is the only tribe in the Tortricinae in which most of its members have a 12-carbon sex pheromone, a condition usually found in the Olethreutinae. North American representatives of the genus include Cnephasia, Decodes, and Eana. Cnephasia is a Palearctic genus with three members introduced into North America: C. asseclana, C. stephensiana, and C. longana. C. longana is a pest of cereal crops in Europe and has been reported as a pest of strawberries (Fragaria sp.) in the Pacific Northwest. Decodes contains 18 species, many of which are present in the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Decodes basiplagana and D. fragariana are oak feeders; the former is present in the East while the latter is present in the West. Eana is a small genus with members in the Palearctic and Nearctic. Most species have unmarked, white forewings; however, none are treated here.
Cnephasiini larvae are occasionally intercepted at United States ports of entry from Europe. It is assumed that a majority of these are Cnephasia, but a genus-level identification is rarely made. Five species are treated here.
Exotic species
Adventive species
Native species
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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