First Report of the Genus Telamoptilia from the Western Hemisphere with Descriptions of Two New Species (Gracillariidae)

Abstract

The genus Telamoptilia (Acrocercopinae) is reported from the Western Hemisphere for the first time. Two new species, Telamoptilia hibiscivora, from the eastern United States, and T. pavoniae, from western Cuba, are described and illustrated. The larvae initially begin as serpentine leafminers and eventually form mostly full depth blotch leafmines on Malvaceae. Telamoptilia hibiscivora mines the leaves of Hibiscus moscheutos L. and the lavae of T. pavoniae mine Pavonia fructicosa (Mill.), Malvaceae.