Trifurcula (Levarchama) cryptella (Stainton, 1856)

van Nieukerken, Erik J., Laštůvka, Aleš & Laštůvka, Zdenĕk, 2006, The Nepticulidae and Opostegidae of mainland France and Corsica: an annotated catalogue (Lepidoptera: Nepticuloidea), Zootaxa 1216 (1216), pp. 1-114 : 65

Trifurcula (Levarchama) cryptella (Stainton, 1856)

F: Nepticula cryptella ; Gélin & Lucas 1915: 137— 40; Brown & Gouin 1917: 408— 33

Stigmella cryptella ; Lhomme [1963]: 1206 — 07, 40

Trifurcula (Levarchama) cryptella ; van Nieukerken & Johansson 1990: 265 —French Alps, mines on Anthyllis montana ; Courtois 2001b: 14—57; Courtois 2002: 52— 57

Excluded records: Nepticula cryptella ; Stainton 1869: 229 — 06; Millière 1876a: 373 — 06; Walsingham 1891: 152—83; [all records refer to specimens reared from Dorycnium ]

Stigmella cryptella ; Lhomme [1963]: 1206 — 07 (Celles only: see T. magna )

Material. 06: 1♂, TM, ca. 1 km NE St. Dalmas­de­Valdeblore, 1320 m, 6.viii.1987, Anthyllis montana , e.l. 29.iv.1988, EvN; TM, same locality, but on Hippocrepis comosa and Lotus corniculatus (RMNH) ; 06: 1♂, Touët­sur­Var, 10.v.1980, CG ( RMNH); 07: 3♂, 2♀, La Voulte­sur­Rhone, 4.viii.1898, Hippocrepis emerus , e.l. 13.iii.1899, P. Chrétien; 1♂, La Voulte­sur­Rhone, 21.iv.1897, P. Chrétien ( MNHN); 26: TM, Beaurières, Bois du Fays, N slopes, 1000–1200 m, 6.vii.1983, H. emerus , EvN; 2♂, 1♀, TM, Châtillon­en­ Diois, E. slopes Mt de Piémard, 700–880 m, 5.vii.1983, H. emerus , e.l. 10–19.iii.1984, EvN; 2 VM, Montagne de l'Aup, 3.5 km SSE Valdrôme, 1430 m, 18.viii.2002, L. corniculatus , Securigera varia , EvN; 73: TM, Modane, southern slopes, 1100–1200 m, 24.viii.1979, L. corniculatus , EvN; 1♂, 1♀, TM, larvae on slide, Molard de Vions, N. Chanaz, 5.viii.1979, H. emerus , L. corniculatus , 24.iv–2.vi.1980, EvN ( ZMAN); TM, larvae, Pralognan­la­Vanoise, 1500 m, 20.viii.1979, L. corniculatus , EvN; 84: 1♂, Viens, 27.viii.1972, RB ( RB).

Remarks. Trifurcula cryptella inhabits both limestone and alpine grasslands, where Lotus corniculatus is the usual host; in the south it is found in Quercus pubescens forest on Hippocrepis emerus (often placed in Coronilla ); occasionally also found on Anthyllis montana , Hippocrepis comosa , and Securigera varia . The long list of unrelated hostplants given by Diškus & Puplesis (2003b) is incorrect; it is a list of plants growing on the locality where the species was first recorded for the Netherlands (van Nieukerken 1982). Mines on Lotus can be confused with those of T. eurema , but the latter usually pupates within the mine.