Merrifieldia tridactyla

Merrifieldia tridactyla
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pterophoridae
Genus:	Merrifieldia
Species:	M. tridactyla
Binomial name
	Merrifieldia tridactyla; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	Merrifieldia tridactylus; Phalaena Alucita tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758; Pterophorus fuscolimbatus Duponchel, 1844; Pterophorus icterodactylus Mann, 1855; Alucita icterodactyla ab. noctis Caradja, 1920; Alucita spicidactyla flavella Chrétien, 1923; Alucita baliodactyla menthae Chrétien, 1925; Alucita icterodactyla philippsi Huggins, 1955; Aciptilia exilidactyla Buszko, 1975; Merrifieldia neli Bigot & Picard, 1989;

Merrifieldia tridactyla is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is known from most of Europe, as well as North Africa and Asia Minor.^[1]

The wingspan is 18–23 millimetres (0.71–0.91 in). Adults are on wing from June to July in western Europe.

The larvae feed on Thymus species (including Thymus serpyllum and Thymus vulgaris) and Mentha species in Europe. In Saudi Arabia, larvae have been recorded feeding on the fruits of Cucurbita moschata. The young larvae nibble the fruit skin, but older larvae eat large areas in the fruit, causing discoloration and surface dryness. Pupation usually takes place on the upper-surface of the leaf.

References

^ "Merrifieldia tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 10 October 2010.

External links

First Record of a Pterophorid Moth, Merrifieldia tridactyla, Causing Damage to Long Guard Fruits Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae) in Saudi Arabia
UKmoths
Data related to Merrifieldia tridactyla at Wikispecies

This article on a moth of the family Pterophoridae is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "Merrifieldia tridactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 10 October 2010.

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