Goniodoma auroguttella

(Fischer V. Röslerstamm, 1841)

  • Subfamily:
  • Wingspan: 07-08 mm
  • Flight period: Jun - Aug
  • Spread: Common
  • Host plants: Atriplex sp.

Information

The Goniodoma auroguttella is a small moth of the Coleophoridae family, with a wingspan of 07-08 mm.
In Europe it is present in Portugal, France, Austria, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Russia. In Italy it is absent from the islands. *

The background color of the front wings is yellow, streaked with metallic silver lines, with the presence at the ends of five circular spots also of metallic silver color. he circular shape of these spots distinguishes it from the very similar species the Goniodoma limoniella . The costa is in the color of the striae. On the apex of the front wings, very fringed, a tuft of dark, almost black fringes is clearly visible. The hind wings are very fringed gray, almost "feathered". The head and thorax are yellow. The antennas are cream colored finely streaked in black.

The habitat consists of dry areas such as steppes or areas with semi-desert biotopes. These little moths are attracted to artificial light.
he caterpillar in its last stage is 3.5 mm long, yellowish white, sometimes very pale; the spiracles are round. The prothoracic shield is light brown in color, divided in two by a whitish central line. The chrysalis is 3.25 to 3.50 mm long, smooth, light yellow with a rounded head. The caterpillar is found in the Atriplex inflorescence feeding on the seeds, for this it enters the fruiting valves, perforating them laterally; first a shelter is created with one of them, covering with silk the hole left by the seed, so that it can move in the inflorescence without being detected (Toll, 1962) . ****

The larvae of this species feed on plants of the Atriplex species often living inside the carpels , ** (The carpel is a modified leaf included in that part of the flower composed of one or more pistils also called inflorescences).
Atriplex species include including Atriplex patula, Atriplex latifolia, Atriplex laciniata and Atriplex tatarica. ***


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** The Casebearers of the Volga-Ural inter-river region (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae)
*** Falkovitsh, M. I. (2006). "Host-plant Relationships of the Casebearers (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae): Communication III". Entomological Review (86).
**** Estados inmaturos de Lepidoptera (XXII). Dos especies del género Goniodoma - https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=45512902

Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella
Goniodoma auroguttella