Cosmopterix chalybaeella
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix chalybaeella is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from Texas
and New Mexico
.
Adults were collected in April.
Male. Forewing length 3.8 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex bronze brown, neck tufts dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, laterally and medially lined white, collar dark bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, dark brown lined laterally; scape dorsally shining dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally shining white, antenna shining dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by six or seven dark brown segments, two white, two dark brown, two white, 10 dark brown and nine white segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: only forelegs present, both too worn to describe. Forewing dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, four white lines in the basal area, a narrow subcostal from beyond base to one-fifth, bending from costa in distal half, a very short and thick medial above fold, below the distal end of the subcostal, a subdorsal, similar to the medial but slightly longer, below fold and slightly further from base as the medial, a narrow dorsal from beyond base to the basal end of the subdorsal, a broad yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle, strongly narrowed in dorsal half and in dorsal half darkened by grey scales, bordered at the inner edge by two silver metallic, tubercular costal and dorsal spots, the costal spot outwardly edged by a patch of blackish brown scales, the dorsal spot much further from base and about twice as large as the costal, bordered at the outer edge by similarly coloured costal and dorsal spots, the outer dorsal spot three times as large as the outer costal and more towards base, both spots partly lined dark brown inwardly, the outer costal outwardly edged by a narrow white costal streak, a narrow white apical line from distal half of the apical area to apex, cilia dark brown around apex, paler towards dorsum. Hindwing shining dark brownish grey. Underside: forewing shining greyish brown, hindwing shining greyish brown in costal half, shining grey in dorsal half. Abdomen dorsally ochreous-brown, ventrally paler, anal tuft yellowish white, abdomen greased, proper description not possible.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Cosmopterigidae
Cosmopterigidae
Cosmopterigidae is a family of insects in the Lepidoptera order. These are small moths with narrow wings whose tiny larvae feed internally on the leaves, seeds, stems, etc of their host plants. There are about 1,500 described species...
family. It is known from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
Adults were collected in April.
Description
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
Male. Forewing length 3.8 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex bronze brown, neck tufts dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, laterally and medially lined white, collar dark bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, dark brown lined laterally; scape dorsally shining dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally shining white, antenna shining dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by six or seven dark brown segments, two white, two dark brown, two white, 10 dark brown and nine white segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: only forelegs present, both too worn to describe. Forewing dark bronze brown with reddish gloss, four white lines in the basal area, a narrow subcostal from beyond base to one-fifth, bending from costa in distal half, a very short and thick medial above fold, below the distal end of the subcostal, a subdorsal, similar to the medial but slightly longer, below fold and slightly further from base as the medial, a narrow dorsal from beyond base to the basal end of the subdorsal, a broad yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle, strongly narrowed in dorsal half and in dorsal half darkened by grey scales, bordered at the inner edge by two silver metallic, tubercular costal and dorsal spots, the costal spot outwardly edged by a patch of blackish brown scales, the dorsal spot much further from base and about twice as large as the costal, bordered at the outer edge by similarly coloured costal and dorsal spots, the outer dorsal spot three times as large as the outer costal and more towards base, both spots partly lined dark brown inwardly, the outer costal outwardly edged by a narrow white costal streak, a narrow white apical line from distal half of the apical area to apex, cilia dark brown around apex, paler towards dorsum. Hindwing shining dark brownish grey. Underside: forewing shining greyish brown, hindwing shining greyish brown in costal half, shining grey in dorsal half. Abdomen dorsally ochreous-brown, ventrally paler, anal tuft yellowish white, abdomen greased, proper description not possible.