The number of sap-feeding instars of the leaf-miner Angelabella tecomae Vargas & Parra, 2005 was determined by measuring the head capsule exuviae collected from mines (n = 125) on the shrub Tecoma fulva fulva D. Don (Bignoniaceae) in the Azapa Valley, northern Chile. Sap-feeding larvae went through four instars in 120 occasions while five larvae went through five instars. The possible causes for this variation and the usefulness of this tool for future studies are discussed.
Head capsule width; hypermetamorphosis; larval biometry; leaf-miner
