Dialectica aemula

Dialectica aemula
Dialectica aemula
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gracillariidae
Genus: Dialectica
Species: D. aemula
Binomial name
Dialectica aemula
(Meyrick, 1916)

Dialectica aemula is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is known from Australia (the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria), India (Bihar) and Nepal.[1]

The adult is similar to Dialectica scalariella, which was introduced deliberately into Australia, but the cocoons are more easily distinguished.[2][3]

The larvae feed on Cynoglossum species (including Cynoglossum australe, Cynoglossum lanceolatum and Cynoglossum suaveolens), Trichodesma indicum and Trichodesma zeylanicum. They mine the leaves of their host plant.

References

  1. ^ Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera)
  2. ^ Australian Insects
  3. ^ The Native Dialectica aemula (Meyrick) and the Introduced Dialectica scalariella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Australia: Characterisation of Two Closely Related Species on Boraginaceae
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