Merrifieldia tridactyla

Merrifieldia tridactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pterophoridae
Genus:	Merrifieldia
Species:	M. tridactyla
Binomial name
Merrifieldia tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Merrifieldia tridactylus Phalaena Alucita tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 Pterophorus fuscolimbatus Duponchel, 1844 Pterophorus icterodactylus Mann, 1855 Alucita icterodactyla ab. noctis Caradja, 1920 Alucita spicidactyla flavella Chrétien, 1923 Alucita baliodactyla menthae Chrétien, 1925 Alucita icterodactyla philippsi Huggins, 1955 Aciptilia exilidactyla Buszko, 1975 Merrifieldia neli Bigot & Picard, 1989

Merrifieldia tridactyla is a moth of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe, as well as North Africa and Asia Minor.^[1]

The wingspan is 18–23 millimetres (0.71–0.91 in). Adults are on wing from June to July in western Europe.

The larvae feed on Thymus species (including Thymus serpyllum and Thymus vulgaris) and Mentha species in Europe. In Saudi Arabia, larvae have been recorded feeding on the fruits of Cucurbita moschata. The young larvae nibble the fruit skin, but older larvae eat large areas in the fruit, causing discoloration and surface dryness. Pupation usually takes place on the upper-surface of the leaf.

References

1. "Merrifieldia tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 10 October 2010.

External links

• First Record of a Pterophorid Moth, Merrifieldia tridactyla, Causing Damage to Long Guard Fruits Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae) in Saudi Arabia
• UKmoths