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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #262150
Title: Variation in the female frenulum in Tortricidae (Lepidoptera). Part. 3. Tortricinae

Author
item MONSALVE, S. - Universidad De Colombia
item DOMBROSKIE, J. - University Of Alberta
item LAM, W. - University Of Alberta
item ROTA, J. - University Of Copenhagen
item Brown, John

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2011
Publication Date: 8/19/2011
Citation: Monsalve, S., Dombroskie, J.J., Lam, W., Rota, J., Brown, J.W. 2011. Variation in the female frenulum in Tortricidae (Lepidoptera). Part. 3. Tortricinae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 113:335-370.

Interpretive Summary: The larvae of moths of the family known as leaf-rollers are important pests of agricultural, ornamental, and forest plants, causing millions of dollars in damage each year. Understanding relationships among groups of these moths provides us with the predictive power to anticipate which groups may become pests, which may show promise for biological control, and which may have the potential to become invasive species. This is the third paper of a proposed three-part series in which we examine the occurrence of an anatomical character, the spines that allow the wings to function in unison. Knowledge of the variation in this character helps us define some groups of leaf-roller moths and provides us with clues about their relationships. This information will be of interest primarily to scientists involved in understanding relationships among groups of leaf-roller moths, but also to those interested in the evolution of, and variation in, the anatomical character we investigated, which occurs in most families of moths.

Technical Abstract: This paper, treating the subfamily Tortricinae, represents the third and final contribution in the three-part series examining variation in the number of bristles in the female frenulum of tortricid moths. Based on the examination of 3,850 females of 1,082 species from 267 genera, the number of bristles in females varies from one to eight and frequently is asymmetrical on the same specimen (19% of specimens examined). A three-bristled frenulum (i.e., with three bristles on each side) is the most common condition in “Arotrophorini” (100% of females examined), Epytimbiini (96%), “Orthocomotini” (92%), “Mictopsichiini” (88%), Atteriini (83%), Tortricini (82%), Sparganothini (78%), Phricanthini (73%), Euliini (71%), Archipini (62%), Cnephasini (61%), and Schoenotenini (51%). In Cochylini a two-bristled frenulum is the most common state (i.e., 59% of all females examined). And in Ceracini a four-bristled frenulum is the most common state (i.e., 37%), with the vast majority of individuals possessing four or more bristles on at least one side; only 4% had three bristles (both sides). Although variation is rampant at the species, generic, and tribal levels, the data suggest a strong tendency for the reduction of bristles in Cochylini, where two (both sides) is the dominant state, and the addition of bristles in Ceracini, where four bristles is the most common state.