Philodoria marginestrigata
Encyclopedia
The Ilima Leaf Miner is a moth
of the Gracillariidae
family. It is endemic to Nihoa
, Kauai
, Oahu
, Molokai
and Hawaii
.
The larvae feed on Dubautia
species, Xanthium echinatum, Xanthium strumarium
, Abutilon
species (including Abutilon grandifolium
, Abutilon incanum
and Abutilon molle), Sida
species (Sida cordifolia
, Sida fallax
, Sida meyeniana and Sida rhombifolia
) and Datura
species. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. There may be as many as twelve mines in a single leaf, and the cocoon is made within the mine.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae
Gracillariidae is an important family of insects in the order Lepidoptera and the principal family of leaf miners that includes several economic, horticultural or recently invasive pest species such as the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella....
family. It is endemic to Nihoa
Nihoa
Nihoa , also known as Bird Island or Moku Manu, is the largest and tallest of ten islands and atolls in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands . The island is located at the southern end of the NWHI chain, southeast of Necker Island...
, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
and Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
.
The larvae feed on Dubautia
Dubautia
Dubautia is a genus of flowering plant in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It contains more species than the other two genera in the silversword alliance, including cushion plants, shrubs, trees, and lianas.-Selected species:...
species, Xanthium echinatum, Xanthium strumarium
Xanthium strumarium
Xanthium strumarium is a species of annual plants belonging to the Asteraceae family...
, Abutilon
Abutilon
Abutilon is a large genus of approximately 150 species of broadleaf evergreens in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus includes annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees from 1–10 m tall, and is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of all continents. The leaves are alternate,...
species (including Abutilon grandifolium
Abutilon grandifolium
Abutilon grandifolium, or Hairy Indian Mallow, is a large shrub that is 2 m high with broad, 1-6 cm leaves. The fruits are schizocarps that are 1.4-1.5 cm in diameter and 1-1.1 cm tall....
, Abutilon incanum
Abutilon incanum
Abutilon icanum, also known as hoary abutilon, pelotazo, pelotazo chico, tronadora, and mao , is a shrub widespread throughout the arid, warm regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico as well as Hawaii.It grows to between in height; the leaves are ovate to lance-ovate in shape,...
and Abutilon molle), Sida
Sida
Sida may refer to:* Sida , a genus of cladoceran water fleas* Sida , a genus of flowering plants* SIDA, Security Identification Display Area, US FAA...
species (Sida cordifolia
Sida cordifolia
Sida cordifolia is a perennial subshrub of the mallow family Malvaceae native to India. It has naturalized throughout the world, and is considered an invasive weed in Africa, Australia, the southern United States, Hawaiian Islands, New Guinea, and French Polynesia...
, Sida fallax
Sida fallax
Sida fallax, known as ilima in Hawaiian, is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the Hibiscus family, Malvaceae, that occurs on most of the Pacific Islands. The flowers are small, in diameter, have five petals, and are a golden yellow in color. Plants may be erect or prostrate and are found...
, Sida meyeniana and Sida rhombifolia
Sida rhombifolia
Sida rhombifolia is a perennial or sometimes annual plant in the Family Malvaceae, native to the New World tropics and subtropics. Other common names include Paddy’s lucerne, jelly leaf, and also somewhat confusingly as Cuban jute, Queensland hemp, and Indian hemp Sida rhombifolia (Arrowleaf...
) and Datura
Datura
Datura is a genus of nine species of vespertine flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Its precise and natural distribution is uncertain, owing to its extensive cultivation and naturalization throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the globe...
species. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. There may be as many as twelve mines in a single leaf, and the cocoon is made within the mine.