Anatrachyntis incertulella
Encyclopedia
The Pandanus Flower Moth (Anatrachyntis incertulella) is a small cosmet moth species
(family
Cosmopterigidae). It belongs to subfamily Cosmopteriginae. This was the first "micromoth
" species to be described from Hawaiʻi. The type specimens were collected there by the 1820s Beechey
expedition and described by the English entomologist Francis Walker in 1864; they are now in the BMNH.
It is found mainly in Polynesia
, from the Hawaiian Islands
across the Society
and Marquesas Islands
to the Austral Islands
and Pitcairn Island. It has also been recorded on Fiji
, in Queensland
(and maybe elsewhere in Australia
), on Okinawa and on Rodrigues
; except the first locality, these seem to be fairly recent introductions or accidental finds however.
The caterpillar
larvae
feed on Pandanus
species, including Pandanus tectorius
.
It may also have been placed in Proterocosma
, but this was usually considered a subgenus of Stagmatophora
in earlier times. As it seems, though, Proterocosma is not particularly closely related to either Stagmatophora or Anatrachyntis
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
(family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Cosmopterigidae). It belongs to subfamily Cosmopteriginae. This was the first "micromoth
Microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera is an artificial grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' . These generally have a wingspan of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to identify by external phenotypic markings than macrolepidoptera...
" species to be described from Hawaiʻi. The type specimens were collected there by the 1820s Beechey
Frederick William Beechey
Frederick William Beechey was an English naval officer and geographer. He was the son of Sir William Beechey, RA., and was born in London.-Career:...
expedition and described by the English entomologist Francis Walker in 1864; they are now in the BMNH.
It is found mainly in Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
, from the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
across the Society
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
and Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
to the Austral Islands
Austral Islands
The Austral Islands are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. Geographically, they consist of two separate archipelagos, namely in the northwest the Tubuai Islands consisting of the Îles Maria, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai...
and Pitcairn Island. It has also been recorded on Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
(and maybe elsewhere in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), on Okinawa and on Rodrigues
Rodrigues (island)
Rodrigues , sometimes spelled Rodriguez but named after the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, is the smallest of the Mascarene Islands and a dependency of Mauritius...
; except the first locality, these seem to be fairly recent introductions or accidental finds however.
The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
larvae
Larvae
In Roman mythology, lemures were shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead, and are probably cognate with an extended sense of larvae as disturbing or frightening...
feed on Pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
species, including Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus that is native to Malesia, eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Common names include Thatch Screwpine, Hala , Bacua , and Vacquois ....
.
Synonyms
This species has been described anew several times from localities where it was not yet known. The junior synonyms thus created are:- Aeoloscelis aulacosema Lower, 1904
- Gelechia incertulella Walker, 1864
- Pyroderces aulacosema (Lower, 1904)
- Pyroderces incertulella (Walker, 1864)
- Pyroderces subcarnea Meyrick, 1924
- Stagmatophora incertulella (Walker, 1864)
- Stagmatophora tridigitella Walsingham, 1907
It may also have been placed in Proterocosma
Proterocosma
Proterocosma is a genus of moth in the Agonoxenidae family. It was formerly included in the Cosmopterigidae.-Species:*Proterocosma anarithma Meyrick, 1888*Proterocosma chionopsamma Meyrick, 1886*Proterocosma dualis Diakonoff, 1954...
, but this was usually considered a subgenus of Stagmatophora
Stagmatophora
Stagmatophora is a genus of moth in the family Cosmopterigidae.-Species:*Stagmatophora abcedella *Stagmatophora acanthodes *Stagmatophora acris *Stagmatophora aglaopa *Stagmatophora argyroela *Stagmatophora auriferella...
in earlier times. As it seems, though, Proterocosma is not particularly closely related to either Stagmatophora or Anatrachyntis
Anatrachyntis
Anatrachyntis is a genus of moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. Some authors include it in Pyroderces.-Species:*Anatrachyntis acris *Anatrachyntis aulacosema *Anatrachyntis badia – Florida Pink Scavenger...
.
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