Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Home Research Hub dataZone Galapagos Species Database

Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758)

Larva of Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, also called cabbage moth. El Occidente, Santa Cruz. Photo: Julia Bolaños, CDF, 2020.
Larva of Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, also called cabbage moth. El Occidente, Santa Cruz. Photo: Julia Bolaños, CDF, 2020.

Pest of Brassicaceae

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Arthropoda

Class
Insecta

Order
Lepidoptera

Superfamily
Yponomeutoidea

Family
Plutellidae

Genus
Plutella

Species
xylostella

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 2004

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Contaminant

Subpathway: Food contaminant

Invasive status: No data

Distribution

Distribution: Santa Cruz (Roque, 2006).

References

  • Cañarte-Bermúdez, E. Peñaherrera-Colina, L., Navia-Santillan, D., Vera-Coello, D., Macas-Guaman, L., Paz-Carrasco, L., Duchicela-Escobar, J., Garces-Carrera, S. (2020) Catálogo de organismos asociados a especies agrícolas en la provincia de Galápagos INIAP-MAG-ABG. Quito, Ecuador 202 p.
  • Causton, C.E. Peck, S. B., Sinclair, B. J., Roque-Albelo, L., Hodgson, C. J. & B. Landry. (2006) Alien insects: threats and implications for the conservation of the Galapagos Islands. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 99(1), 121-143.
  • Roque-Albelo, L. (2006) Diversity and ecology of the Lepidoptera in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador Cardiff University (United Kingdom)
  • Roque-Albelo, L. Landry, B. (2016) CDF Checklist of Galapagos Butterflies and Moths Charles Darwin Research Station, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador, 32 pp.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Plutella xylostella", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7304. Accessed 23 May 2026.