Phyllonorycter melanosparta
| Phyllonorycter melanosparta | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Gracillariidae |
| Genus: | Phyllonorycter |
| Species: | P. melanosparta |
| Binomial name | |
| Phyllonorycter melanosparta (Meyrick, 1912)[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Phyllonorycter melanosparta is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is known from South Africa, Zimbabwe[2] and western Kenya. The habitat consists of secondary woodland where forest flora intermixes with savannah plants.
The length of the forewings is 2.5–2.8 mm. The forewing ground colour is ferruginous-ochreous with blackish fuscous markings. The hindwings are pale grey with a silver shine and a long pale fuscous fringe. Adults are on wing from late December to late January and from late March to July.[3]
The larvae feed on Desmodium repandum, Flemingia grahamiana, Hylodesmum repandum, Rhynchosia caribaea and Vigna species. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a moderate, oval, semi-transparent, tentiform mine on the upperside of the leaf.