Crocidosema is a genus of tortrix moths (family Tortricidae) belonging to the tribe Eucosmini of subfamily Olethreutinae. They are found mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, being especially common in the Neotropics. But some occur elsewhere, such as on the Hawaiian Islands.[2]

Crocidosema
Imago of the widespread C. plebejana,
Aranda, Australian Capital Territory
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Tortricidae
Tribe: Eucosmini
Genus: Crocidosema
Zeller, 1847
Type species
Crocidosema plebejana
Zeller, 1847
Diversity
28 species
Synonyms

[1]
Crocidosoma (lapsus)
Crosidosema (lapsus)
Heligmocera Walsingham, 1891
Parasuleima Clarke, 1965

At least some of them can be recognized by their wing veins. In the hindwings, vein 3 and 4 originate from a common stalk, and are approached by the fifth vein at its end. In the forewings, veins 4-6 converge at the termen.[3]

These moths are mostly small and inconspicuous. But C. plebejana is an occasional pest of cotton (and some other mostly malvaceous plants) and has become widely distributed by trade in agricultural produce, while the lantana flower-cluster moth (C. lantana) is employed in Lantana biocontrol and has been deliberately introduced to some locations.

Species

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As of 2010, the 29 described species of Crocidosema are:[4]

(incomplete list)

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Pitkin & Jenkins (2004), Baixeras et al. (2010a)
  2. ^ Baixeras et al. (2010ab)
  3. ^ Clarke (1986)
  4. ^ Baixeras et al. (2010b)
  5. ^ [Vargas HA (2019) A new species of Crocidosema Zeller (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) from the Andes of northern Chile. Nota Lepidopterologica 42(2): 129-136. https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.42.38341 https://nl.pensoft.net/article/38341/]

References

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  Media related to Crocidosema at Wikimedia Commons