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Tortricid Larvae and Taxonomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Margaret R. MacKay
Affiliation:
Entomology Research Institute, Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario

Extract

One aspect of lepidopterous taxonomy concerns the adult; of at least equal importance is that concerning the larva, the destructive stage of a butterfly or moth. There are many reports in the literature whose value has been reduced, if not nullified, by failure to recognize the larvae of the one or more species involved. Yet there are, to-day, no truly satisfactory family keys to the l'arvae of Lepidoptera, and no keys to the early instars of any one family. There are workable keys to the late instars of only two or three families in this order of insects, and these are far from complete on a world or even a continental basis. An example of the last are those of the Tortricidae (MacKay 1959, 1962), and a plea is extended to our entomological colleagues for correctly associated larval material (much of which can be obtained so easily where it is common or when its biology is being examined) to serve as a basis lor the necessary similar studies in other families.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1964

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References

MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canad. Ent. (Suppl.) 10, 338 pp.Google Scholar
MacKay, M. R. 1962. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canad. Ent. (Suppl.) 28, 182 pp.Google Scholar
MacKay, M. R. 1963. Evolution and adaptation of larval characters in the Tortricidae. Canad. Ent. 95: 13211344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar