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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Gelechiidae 59a1273.1 – 2011   Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller, 1873)              Potato Tuberworm

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Solanaceae Typhaceae.  Host genera: Capsicum Datura Nicotiana Physalis Solanum[=Lycopersicon] Typha.  Notes: leaf miner (Powell & Opler 2009); leafblotch miner (Eiseman 2020).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: operculella (Zeller, 1873) (Gelechia) - MONA 1983: 2011 argentinae Povolný, 1989 (Phthorimaea) epicentra of authors; (not Meyrick, 1909) (Gelechia) misappl. piscipellis (Howard, 1897) (Gelechia) sedata (Butler, 1880) (Gelechia) solanella (Boisduval, 1874) (Bryotropha) tabacella (Ragonot, 1879) (Gelechia) terrella (Walker, 1864) (Gelechia)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history) Hayden, J.E., S. Lee, S.C. Passoa, J. Young, J.-F. Landry, V. Nazari, R. Mally, L.A. Somma, and K.M. Ahlmark, 2013. Digital Identification of Microlepidoptera on Solanaceae. USDA-APHIS-PPQ Identification Technology Program (ITP). Fort Collins, CO. - species page at idtools.org. Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 10.21m; p. 99. Book Review and ordering Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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