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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344951
Research Project: Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Aquatic larval immatures of two acentropines, Usingeriessa onyxalis (Hampson) and Oxyelophila callista (Forbes) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Author
item Solis, M Alma
item HARMS, N. - Us Army Engineer Research And Dvelopment Center
item PHILIPPS-RODRIGUEZ, E - Universidad De Costa Rica
item Scheffer, Sonja
item Lewis, Matthew
item Metz, Mark

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/17/2017
Publication Date: 3/16/2018
Citation: Solis, M.A., Harms, N.E., Philipps-Rodriguez, E., Scheffer, S.J., Lewis, M.L., Metz, M. 2018. Aquatic larval immatures of two acentropines, Usingeriessa onyxalis (Hampson) and Oxyelophila callista (Forbes) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(1):180-195.

Interpretive Summary: A subfamily of snout moths have larvae that are aquatic, that is, they live and breathe underwater. These caterpillars are intercepted at U.S. ports on aquatic plants being imported for the tropical fish industry. We discovered and describe previously unknown larvae of two different groups from Texas feeding on native and invasive aquatic plants. Morphological and molecular characters were utilized to try to link the larvae to the adults. Images and line drawings of the larvae and a table to compare the U.S. groups of aquatic moth larvae are provided. This information will be useful to biologists, quarantine personnel at U.S. ports, and aquatic plant biological control workers.

Technical Abstract: Pyraloid moths in the subfamily Acentropinae have immatures that are aquatic, that is, they live and breathe underwater during all or part of their immature developmental stages. We discovered and describe the previously unknown larvae of Usingeriessa onyxalis (Hampson) (Crambidae) reared on Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anderson (Acanthaceae). Larvae of Oxyelophila callista (Forbes), feeding on at least five species of aquatic plants, are also described. Morphological and molecular characters were utilized to try to link the immatures to the adults. These are the first published accounts describing immature stages of U. onyxalis and the first detailed description of the larval stage of O. callista, so we discuss the current classification and generic placement of these and associated species. Images and line drawings of the aquatic immatures are provided. A table comparing the larval habit and morphology among genera is provid.