SYSTEMATICS OF THE NEARCTIC SPECIES OF METALLIC-GREENCOLEOPHORA(LEPIDOPTERA: COLEOPHORIDAE)

Abstract
Eleven species of metallic-greenColeophoraare recognized in the Nearctic Region, including three that are new:C.ladoniaLandry and Wright from Florida,C.ramitellaLandry and Wright from the northeastern United States, andC.timarellaLandry and Wright from Arizona. Three species are introduced from Europe:C.deauratellaLienig and Zeller,C.mayrella(Hübner), andC.trifolii(Curtis); these are pests of clover seeds. Adults are keyed, described, and illustrated, and the species distributions mapped. Host plants are known for eight of the species, for which larval cases are also illustrated and their life history presented. Nearctic species of metallic-greenColeophorarepresent a miscellany of unrelated groups, here treated together for convenience. Tentative definitions of informal species groups are provided and phylogenetic relationships of the species are discussed.