Marmara gulosa

Definition

A species of minute moth in the family Gracillariidae, described by Guillén & Davis in 2001, whose larvae are leafminers that feed within the epidermal tissue of citrus and related Rutaceae, producing serpentine mines on fruit peel and leaves. Native to the Neotropics and southwestern Nearctic; established in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Cuba.

Etymology

Latin: Marmara (genus name, from Greek marmaros 'sparkling stone, marble', possibly alluding to the mottled appearance of larval mines); gulosa (feminine of gulosus 'gluttonous, greedy', referring to larval feeding habits).

Example

Larvae of Marmara gulosa create diagnostic silvery, winding epidermal mines on grapefruit and orange rinds, often causing downgrading of fresh-market fruit; pupation occurs within the mine under a slight silken web.

Synonyms

• Citrus peelminer

Related Terms

• Gracillariidae
• leafminer
• epidermal mine
• Phyllocnistis citrella
• citrus pest
• serpentine mine

Usage Notes

Distinguished from the similar citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella (also Gracillariidae) by host tissue: M. gulosa mines both fruit peel and leaves, whereas P. citrella is restricted to leaves. The specific epithet is sometimes misspelled 'gulosa' without the diaeresis in older literature. Adults are seldom seen; identification relies on larval mine morphology and host association.