Group A: Coleophora species with a metallic forewing
8 species
In all of these species the whole insect is covered in metallic scales and they all appear dark when the metallic reflections are not showing. At least four of these species are usually identifiable on external features. Species that may be looked for here but are keyed in other groups
C.violacea and C.fuscocuprella (Group C) have a shining fuscous, but not metallic, forewing and antennae which are predominantly fuscous with the apical ⅓ white. Size: Some segregation of the species may be based on size, but there is sufficient overlap in size ranges that no species can be identified on size alone. Generally specimens with a forewing length >7mm will be C.trifolii, C.deauratella or C.amethystinella and specimens with a forewing length <7mm will not be C.trifolii or C.amethystinella
|
|
1. Antenna entirely fuscous
1a. eye fringe orange-yellow; compound eye orange > 37.047 Coleophora amethystinella
1a. eye fringe orange-yellow; compound eye orange > 37.047 Coleophora amethystinella
Sexually dimorphic - the thickening of the base of the antenna with projecting scales being much less extensive in male (above) than in the female (below).
1b. eye fringe fuscous > 37.001 Augasma aeratella
Antennae short at ~½ forewing length, and thick, without significant thickening with scales at its base. Forewing with a shallowly concave costa. |
2. Antenna ringed black and white, basal 2/5 thickened with projecting scales > 37.048 Coleophora mayrella
The five remaining species have the antenna fuscous with the apical ¼-⅕ white or whitish, (sometimes just a shade paler than the rest of the flagellum).
3. Head contrastingly metallic grey; antennal division (dark fuscous basal ⅔, white apical ⅓) often* sharply contrasting > 37.106 Coleophora paripennella
4. Eye fringe straw-coloured, antenna minimally thickened with projecting scales at base > 37.033 Coleophora trifolii
5. Eye fringe fuscous, basal antennal segments thickened with projecting scales > 3 species
Male C.deauratella may be distinguishable from C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella by having slightly more extensive thickening of the basal antennal segments - generally confined to the scape and basal 2-3 segments of the flagellum in both sexes of C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella and to slightly beyond 3 segments in male C.deauratella. In males I have identified as C.deauratella the basal thickening of the antenna is about as long as the white apex of the antenna; in males I have identified as C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella the basal thickening is clearly shorter than the white apex. So far I have found this to be a reliable distinction, but I would still usually regard the males of all three of these species to require genital determination, as will females of C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella.
|
Male genitalia: 37.046 C.deauratella, 37.035 C.alcyonipennella, 37.034 C.frischella
C.deauratella can be distinguished from C. alcyonipennella and C.frischella on features of the sacculus and aedeagus.
In C.deauratella the anterolateral margin of the sacculus is evenly rounded, comes to a blunt lateral angle from which it turns dorsomedially and comes to a posterior projection at its dorsomedial extremity in the form of a short spine projecting towards the valvula.
In C.alcyonipennealla and C.frischella the anterolateral margin of the sacculus is somewhat angular, comes to its most lateral extremity at its most dorsal point and lacks any significant posterior projection.
In C.deauratella the anterolateral margin of the sacculus is evenly rounded, comes to a blunt lateral angle from which it turns dorsomedially and comes to a posterior projection at its dorsomedial extremity in the form of a short spine projecting towards the valvula.
In C.alcyonipennealla and C.frischella the anterolateral margin of the sacculus is somewhat angular, comes to its most lateral extremity at its most dorsal point and lacks any significant posterior projection.
In C.deauratella the tunica of the aedeagus is relatively long. This is best determined numerically by taking the ratio of the distance from the annulus to the apex of the tunica / the distance from the annulus to the sclerotisation in the vesica. The ratio is ~2 for C.deauratella and ~1 for C.alcyonipennella and C.frischella. The angle at the apex of the aedeagus is more acute in C.deauratella. The position of the annulus is closer to the tunica in C.deauratella.
|
The male genitalia of C.alcyonipennella and C.frsichella are extremely similar - it is necessary to get a good view of the bundle of cornuti in the vesica to distinguish these two, and that may involve extracting it. In C.alcyonipennella there are 4 or 5 cornuti, the longest of which is about ½ the length of the bundle; in C.frischella there are ~6 cornuti (one at the base is hard to see), the longest of which is about ⅓ the length of the bundle.
Female genitalia: 37.035 C.alcyonipennella, 37.034 C.frischella
In C.alcyonipennella the ostial plate is quadrate (about as long as wide), the ostium is broad and fairly central;
in C.frischella the ostial plate is elongate (about 1.5x as long as wide) and the ostium is at its anterior margin.
in C.frischella the ostial plate is elongate (about 1.5x as long as wide) and the ostium is at its anterior margin.