Blastobasis floridella
(Dietz, 1910)
Blastobasis floridella is a small in the , first described by in 1910 under the name Valentinia floridella. The is known from the United States, with confirmed records from Florida and Oklahoma. have been documented feeding on the cones of Zamia pumila, a cycad to the southeastern United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Blastobasis floridella: /blæstəˈbeɪsɪs flɔːrɪˈdɛlə/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
The small size (wingspan 11–16 mm) distinguishes Blastobasis floridella from larger . Definitive identification likely requires dissection or molecular analysis, as is common for this . No published diagnostic features separating it from are available in the provided sources.
Appearance
Wingspan 11–16 mm. Specific coloration and pattern details are not documented in available sources.
Distribution
United States: Florida and Oklahoma. The specific associations within these states are not documented.
Diet
feed on cones of Zamia pumila.
Host Associations
- Zamia pumila - larval food source feed on cones
Similar Taxa
- Other Blastobasis speciesMany Blastobasis are morphologically similar and require dissection or molecular methods for reliable identification; no specific differentiating characters for B. floridella are documented in available sources.
More Details
Original description
Originally described as Valentinia floridella by in 1910, later transferred to Blastobasis.
Data availability
This is poorly documented in scientific literature. GBIF records and iNaturalist observations are sparse (4 observations), suggesting it is either genuinely rare, undercollected, or difficult to identify.