Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Gracillariidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Phyllonorycter | |
Phyllonorycter ocimellus is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is found in eastern and western Kenya. Mines have been found in humid, secondary forests at an altitude of about 1,600 meters.
The length of the forewings is 3.1–3.4 mm. The forewing is elongate and the ground colour is dark ochreous, with white markings. The hindwings are greyish fuscous. Adults emerged from mines in mid-April, early May and early November.
The larvae feed on Ocimum gratissimum. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of an underside tentiform mine. The mine is opaque, creamy or light brown. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon.
Etymology
The species name is formed from the root of the host plant generic name Ocimum and the Latin suffix –ellus.