Larval Case Architecture and Implications of Host-Plant Associations for North American Coleophora (Lepidoptera; Coleophoridae)

Abstract

The case-bearing moths of North America are represented by a single genus, Coleophora, which contains approximately 144 described species. All are external seed or leaf miners that inhabit portable silk cases during most of the larval stage. Architectural and ecological characters from larval cases were used in cladistic analysis to investigate existing case groups for 32 North American species of Coleophora. Cladistic analysis confirmed monophyly of certain case groups, but not of others. Host-plant preferences were also examined. The pattern of host plant use reflects more closely preference for certain plant tissues (seeds versus leaves) and growth forms (herbaceous versus woody) with exploitation of different plant taxa, rather than preference for certain plant taxa with exploitation of different plant tissues.