Scrobipalpa salinella

Scrobipalpa salinella
Scrobipalpa salinella salicorniae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Scrobipalpa
Species:	S. salinella
Binomial name
Scrobipalpa salinella (Zeller, 1847)
Synonyms
Gelechia salinella Zeller, 1847 Scrobipalpa trebujenae Povolný, 1977 Lita salicorniae E. Hering, 1889 Scrobipalpa salicorniae Lita zernyella Rebel, 1918 Gnorimoschema corsicanum Gregor & Povolný, 1954 Gnorimoschema ignotum Gregor & Povolný, 1954 Lita caliacrae Caradja, 1932

Scrobipalpa salinella, the sea-aster groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found Europe, along the coast and in inland halophytic habitats. In the east, the range extends through Siberia and Central Asia to Mongolia. It is also found in North Africa.

The wingspan is 11–15 mm (0.43–0.59 in). Adults have been recorded on wing from June to September.

The larvae feed on Arthrocnemum fruticosum, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Salicornia europaea. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a long, narrow lower- or upper-surface corridor, with a black or brown central frass line. After some time, the larva leaves the mine and starts a shorter and broader full depth blotch mine. Older larvae live freely amongst spun leaves. The larvae can be found from April to June. They are dirty yellow with a light brown head.

Subspecies

• Scrobipalpa salinella salinella
• Scrobipalpa salinella salicorniae (E. Hering, 1889) (coasts of northern Europe, Central Europe, southern Urals)

Scrobipalpa salicorniae is sometimes considered a distinct species. Other authors treat salicorniae as a northern subspecies, living on Salicornia, while the southern (typical) subspecies feeds on Arthrocnemum species.