Systematics, host plants and life histories of Phyllocnistis species on citrus (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae, Phyllocnistinae)

Current measures of monitoring Phyllocnistis citrella (or Citrus Leafminer, CLM) populations utilize pheromone traps, from surveys that have taken place at the citrus field of Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC), multiple species of Phyllocnistis was found on the presumably CLM-specific pheromone traps. Preliminary analysis of the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene shows that there are at least five species are attracted to traps, three of them are described species (Phyllocnistis insignis, Phyllocnistis citrella and Phyllocnistis vitegenella) while the other two are possibly new species. Our study will identify or describe the unknown species by using both morphological and molecular data. A deeper understanding of relationships among species in this genus will be achieved through phylogenetic systematics. The research is broadly applicable to agriculture because it may reveal that there is more than one species of Phyllocnistis feeding on citrus and can provide the basic taxonomic information for the developing of a more specific pheromone which will be beneficial for monitoring, controlling and effective quarantine of Citrus Leafminer.