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Identification history

unidentified leaf miner 9 Oct 2025 WendyEM
unidentified immature leaf mining insect 21 Sep 2025 donhe
Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE 20 Sep 2025 ibaird
Phyllonorycter messaniella 19 Sep 2025 Hejor1

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User's notes

All have a blister with a "tail" like this photo. I couldnt find any intact blisters with animal inside so this is a complete guess.

6 comments

WendyEM wrote:
   20 Sep 2025
I am unsure. Various European/UK sources (origin of Phyllonorycter messaniella) don't show the tail on the mine see
https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/lithocolletinae/phyllonorycter/phyllonorycter-messaniella/
https://www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/micros.php?bf=3210
https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/phyllonorycter-messaniella/
Phyllonorycter messaniella certainly does occur in Melbourne
WendyEM wrote:
   20 Sep 2025
This is a set of Aus. leaf miners from iNat. It seems to have some stray species that don't belong
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6744&project_id=119514&verifiable=any&view=species
Your mines MIGHT be Acrocercops sp
WendyEM wrote:
   20 Sep 2025
It may not be Lepidoptera see
https://antomology.wordpress.com/2021/09/22/what-is-a-leaf-miner/
ibaird wrote:
   21 Sep 2025
Don, would you like to suggest how we classify this taxonomically speaking.
WendyEM wrote:
   21 Sep 2025
There is a category for "unidentified insect gall" within 'insect', but it is at a higher classification level than we can do. Maybe you could ask about "unidentified leaf mine" being added ?
ibaird wrote:
   22 Sep 2025
Yes, maybe Acrocercops (genus) based on
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6744&project_id=119514&verifiable=any&view=species
and photos here:-
https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/grac/chionosema.html

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Sighting information

Additional information

  • Less than 5mm Animal size

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