1. Lebendfotos

2. Biologie

Wahrscheinlich gehören die Eriocrania-Raupen in Blattminen von Sorbus japonica, die die Autoren der Erstbeschreibung fanden, zu dieser Art. Sie stellen dazu fest: "The larvae were captured from sunny leaves in various parts of the host tree varying from low to high, but the larval density was extremely low. According to Dr Komai (pers. comm.), eriocraniid larvae feeding on Sorbus japonica were rather abundant in the 1980's when he first found the mines on leaves." Und weiter (3 Wochen nach den Falterfunden): "About three weeks later, eriocraniid larval mines were found on the leaves of Sorbus japonica (Rosaceae) near the collecting site of E. komaii. Our fieldwork in Mt Izumi-Katsurugi has recognized that two other eriocraniids inhabit sympatrically with the present species. One is Eriocrania sp. feeding on Carpinus laxiflora (Sieb. et Zucc.) Blume (Betulaceae) and the other is Issikiocrania japonicella Moriuti on Fagus crenata Blume (Fagaceue). However, adults of these two species occurred from early to mid April about 15 to 20 days earlier than those of E. komaii, and their larvae had already dropped to the ground from their host plants when the larvae feeding on Sorbus japonica became full-grown. Therefore, it was strongly suggested that E. komaii feeds on Sorbus japonica." Vergleicht man das mit den anderen Nahrungspflanzen der Eriocraniidae-Raupen, ergibt sich: "The host range of the family Eriocraniidae is mainly restricted to two plant families, Fagaceae and Betulaceae, of the order Fagales. Davis (1978) and Kuroko (1990) referred to eriocraniid larvae utilizing plants of the family Rosaceae of the order Rosales. However, no adults have been precisely associated with these larvae. Contrary to the relationship of the phylogenetic hypothesis based on morphology (Cronquist, 1988), recent molecular analysis has suggested that Rosaceae are closely related to Betulaceae and Fagaceae in plant phylogenetic relationships (Soltis et al., l999). If a relationship between the adults and the supposed larvae of Eriocrania komaii becomes clear by rearing, this species will play an important role in considering host preference evolution of the family Eriocraniidae."

(Autor: Erwin Rennwald)

3. Weitere Informationen

3.1. Etymologie (Namenserklärung)

Mizukawa et al. (2006: 152-153) erklären: "This species is named in honor of Dr Furumi Komai who attracted our attention to the supposed larvae of this species from Sorbus japonica as discussed below."

3.2. Taxonomie und Faunistik

Mizukawa et al. (2006) beschrieben ihre neue Art nach 3 Faltern von einer einzigen Fundstelle auf Honshu in Japan. Angaben zur Verwandtschaft innerhalb der Gattung Eriocrania werden nicht gemacht. Zhang et al. (2026: 202) kommen bei ihrer genetischen Analyse von Eriocrania semipurpurella alpina aus China aber zum Schluss: "The phylogenetic analysis revealed that E. semipurpurella alpina is the sister taxon to Eriocrania komaii".

3.3. Typenmaterial

Mizukawa et al. (2006: 152) teilten mit: "JAPAN [Honshu]. Holotype ♂, Mt Izumi-Katsuragi, Osaka Pref., 27.iv.2002, T. Hirowatari & B.W. Lee, Paratypes, 1 ♀, same label as holotype; 1 ♀, same locality as holotype, 29.iv.1989, S. Hashimoto. All type specimens are deposited in the Entomological Laboratory, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai."