Coffee leaf miner

Definition

A collective common name for several small moths in the family Lyonetiidae whose larvae tunnel within the mesophyll of coffee (Coffea) leaves, producing characteristic serpentine or blotch mines that reduce photosynthetic capacity and predispose plants to disease. The most economically damaging species is Leucoptera coffeella, distributed throughout coffee-growing regions of the Neotropics.

Etymology

From the host plant (coffee) and the larval habit of mining leaf tissue.

Example

In Brazil, heavy infestations of the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella can reduce yields by 30–50% by destroying leaf area and creating entry points for the fungal pathogen Hemileia vastatrix, which causes coffee leaf rust.

Synonyms

• coffee leafminer

Related Terms

• leaf miner
• serpentine mine
• blotch mine
• Lyonetiidae
• Leucoptera coffeella
• Integrated Pest Management
• agroecosystem
• Coffea arabica
• Coffea canephora

Usage Notes

The name is applied somewhat loosely to multiple Leucoptera species attacking coffee; specialists distinguish among them by distribution and minor morphological differences. The term emphasizes the ecological guild (leaf-mining) and host association rather than a single taxon.