Scrobipalpa salinella explained

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.[1]

The wingspan is . Adults have been recorded on wing from June to September.[2]

The larvae feed on Salicornia fruticosa (syn. Arthrocnemum fruticosum), Arthrocaulon macrostachyum (syn. Arthrocnemum macrostachyum) and Salicornia europaea. They mine the leaves of their host plant.

Subspecies

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 former Arthrocnemum species.

Notes and References

  1. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview
  2. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=2859&detail=true UKmoths