Cosmopterix dapifera
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix dapifera is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from the United States
(from Tennessee
and north-western Arkansas
south to central Florida
and south-central Arizona
), Brazil
(Bahia) and Cuba
.
Adults have been collected from July to September, and in January, indicating more than one generation.
Male, female. Forewing length 3.6–3.8 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish reflection, vertex and neck tufts greyish brown with greenish and reddish gloss, lined white medially and laterally, collar greyish brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, greyish brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined brown laterally, extreme apex white; scape dorsally dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally white, antenna dark brown with a very short white line at base, in middle a short, partly annulate, section, followed towards apex by four dark brown segments, two white, two dark brown, two white, ten dark brown, six white and one dark brown segment at apex. Thorax and tegulae greyish brown, thorax with a white median line and tegulae lined white inwardly and outwardly. Legs: greyish brown, femur of hindleg shining ochreous-white, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one to three and five, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments as foreleg, tibia of hindleg with a very oblique white basal line, the medial line almost from base to the mid spur, from there very oblique to two-thirds, a yellowish white subapical streak and a white apical ring, tarsal segment one white at base and dorsally in apical half, remaining segments dorsally white, spurs white dorsally, greyish brown ventrally. Forewing shining greyish brown with some reddish gloss, four white lines in the basal area, a subcostal from base to one-third, very slightly bending from costa, a medial from base to beyond the subcostal, not reaching the transverse fascia, a subdorsal from one-quarter to near the transverse fascia, a dorsal from base to or beyond start of the subdorsal, a yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle with a narrow basal protrusion in the middle and with a broad prolongation towards apex, bordered at the inner edge by two tubercular pale golden metallic subcostal and subdorsal spots, the subcostal spot slightly more towards base and with a patch of blackish scales on outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia two tubercular pale golden costal and dorsal spots of equal size and opposite, both inwardly edged greyish brown, an indistinct whitish costal streak from the outer costal spot, a broad shining white apical line from the middle of the prolongation of the transverse fascia, cilia greyish brown at apex, ochreous-grey towards dorsum. Hindwing brownish grey, cilia ochreous-grey. Underside: forewing shining pale brownish grey, white apical line distinctly visible, hindwing pale grey. Abdomen dorsally shining ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, ventrally shining white, anal tuft white.
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 the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and north-western Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
south to central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and south-central Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
), Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(Bahia) and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
Adults have been collected from July to September, and in January, indicating more than one generation.
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, female. Forewing length 3.6–3.8 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish reflection, vertex and neck tufts greyish brown with greenish and reddish gloss, lined white medially and laterally, collar greyish brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, greyish brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined brown laterally, extreme apex white; scape dorsally dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally white, antenna dark brown with a very short white line at base, in middle a short, partly annulate, section, followed towards apex by four dark brown segments, two white, two dark brown, two white, ten dark brown, six white and one dark brown segment at apex. Thorax and tegulae greyish brown, thorax with a white median line and tegulae lined white inwardly and outwardly. Legs: greyish brown, femur of hindleg shining ochreous-white, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one to three and five, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments as foreleg, tibia of hindleg with a very oblique white basal line, the medial line almost from base to the mid spur, from there very oblique to two-thirds, a yellowish white subapical streak and a white apical ring, tarsal segment one white at base and dorsally in apical half, remaining segments dorsally white, spurs white dorsally, greyish brown ventrally. Forewing shining greyish brown with some reddish gloss, four white lines in the basal area, a subcostal from base to one-third, very slightly bending from costa, a medial from base to beyond the subcostal, not reaching the transverse fascia, a subdorsal from one-quarter to near the transverse fascia, a dorsal from base to or beyond start of the subdorsal, a yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle with a narrow basal protrusion in the middle and with a broad prolongation towards apex, bordered at the inner edge by two tubercular pale golden metallic subcostal and subdorsal spots, the subcostal spot slightly more towards base and with a patch of blackish scales on outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia two tubercular pale golden costal and dorsal spots of equal size and opposite, both inwardly edged greyish brown, an indistinct whitish costal streak from the outer costal spot, a broad shining white apical line from the middle of the prolongation of the transverse fascia, cilia greyish brown at apex, ochreous-grey towards dorsum. Hindwing brownish grey, cilia ochreous-grey. Underside: forewing shining pale brownish grey, white apical line distinctly visible, hindwing pale grey. Abdomen dorsally shining ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, ventrally shining white, anal tuft white.