sordidus

P. sordidus Riley

Adult Characteristics

Wing expanse 8-14 mm. Forewing uniformly cream to dark tan, without pattern. Hindwings usually a somewhat darker shade, gray.

Comparison with similar species

No described species is similar, but two species are compiled under this name (Frack 1982). Diagnostic traits to distinguish between them have not been published.

Host, oviposition, and larval feeding habits

Only from Yucca brevifolia, the Joshua Tree. Larva is said to bore in fleshy parts of the fruit (Davis 1967).

Geographic distribution

Throughout the range of Yucca brevifolia: Mojave desert in SE California, NW Arizona, and S Nevada.

Habitat

In shrub desert with Yucca brevifolia; a striking habitat photograph is provided by U2 (1987)

Characteristic habitat; San Bernardino Co., California.

References

Davis, D.R. 1967. A revision of the moths of the subfamily Prodoxinae 
          (Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae). U.S. Nat. Hist. Mus., 
          Bull. 255:1-170. Smiths. Contrib. Zool. 524:1-88.
Frack, D.C. 1982. A systematic study of prodoxine moths (Adelidae: 
          Prodoxinae) and their hosts (Agavaceae), with descriptions 
          of the subfamilies of Adelidae (s. lat.). M.S. thesis, 
          California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA.
U2. 1987. The Joshua Tree. Island Records Inc., New York.

Lectotype in USNM.

About this page

Olle Pellmyr
E-mail: pellmyr@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu.
Dept of Biology, Vanderbilt University, Box 1812-B Nashville, TN 37235, USA

Title illustrations: Female, San Bernardino Co., California, USA.