Cosmopterix erinome
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix erinome is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from the United States
(Alabama
and Mississippi
).
Adults have been collected in April, June and August.
Male, female. Forewing length 5.2-5.5 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex and neck tufts shining greyish brown with reddish reflection, medially and laterally lined white, collar greyish brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment fourth-fifths of the length of third, white with a greyish brown line dorsally and laterally on outside, basal one-third white dorsally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally; scape dark brown with a white anterior line, white ventrally; antenna shining dark greyish brown, a white line from base to beyond one-half, at two-thirds an indistinct whitish ring of one segment. Thorax and tegulae greyish brown with reddish reflection, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: ochreous-grey, femora of midleg and hindleg shining ochreous-white with some greenish refection, 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 one and two with very indistinct ochreous-white apical rings, segment five dorsally ochreous-white, tibia of hindleg as midleg, tarsal segments dorsally ochreous-white, spurs dark grey on outside, whitish on inside. Forewing greyish brown with reddish gloss, four rather broad white lines in the basal area, a broad costal from one-sixth to the transverse fascia, widening distally, a subcostal from base to one-third, bending gradually from costa in distal half, often more or less fused with the costal line and hardly noticeable, a slightly oblique medial from one-fifth to the basal protrusion of the transverse fascia, a dorsal from base to the transverse fascia, a yellow to yellow-grey transverse fascia beyond the middle, narrowed towards dorsum and with a small basal protrusion and a narrow apical protrusion in the middle, bordered at inner edge by two tubercular golden metallic subcostal and dorsal spots, the costal spot with a patch of blackish brown scales on the outside, the dorsal spot further from base than the subcostal, bordered at outer edge by a tubercular golden metallic costal and a dorsal spot, the dorsal spot about one-half to twice the size of the costal, both spots opposite and inwardly edged dark greyish brown, a narrow white costal streak from outer costal spot and a white apical line from the apical protrusion, cilia greyish brown around apex, pale ochreous grey towards dorsum. Hindwing shining pale grey, cilia pale ochreous-grey. Underside: forewing shining pale ochreous-grey, the white apical line indistinctly visible, hindwing shining pale grey, whitish at apex. Abdomen dorsally shining yellow-ochreous, laterally shining grey,ventrally shining yellowish white, anal tuft white in male, yellowish white in female.
. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
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...
(Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
).
Adults have been collected in April, June and August.
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 5.2-5.5 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-white with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex and neck tufts shining greyish brown with reddish reflection, medially and laterally lined white, collar greyish brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment fourth-fifths of the length of third, white with a greyish brown line dorsally and laterally on outside, basal one-third white dorsally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally; scape dark brown with a white anterior line, white ventrally; antenna shining dark greyish brown, a white line from base to beyond one-half, at two-thirds an indistinct whitish ring of one segment. Thorax and tegulae greyish brown with reddish reflection, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: ochreous-grey, femora of midleg and hindleg shining ochreous-white with some greenish refection, 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 one and two with very indistinct ochreous-white apical rings, segment five dorsally ochreous-white, tibia of hindleg as midleg, tarsal segments dorsally ochreous-white, spurs dark grey on outside, whitish on inside. Forewing greyish brown with reddish gloss, four rather broad white lines in the basal area, a broad costal from one-sixth to the transverse fascia, widening distally, a subcostal from base to one-third, bending gradually from costa in distal half, often more or less fused with the costal line and hardly noticeable, a slightly oblique medial from one-fifth to the basal protrusion of the transverse fascia, a dorsal from base to the transverse fascia, a yellow to yellow-grey transverse fascia beyond the middle, narrowed towards dorsum and with a small basal protrusion and a narrow apical protrusion in the middle, bordered at inner edge by two tubercular golden metallic subcostal and dorsal spots, the costal spot with a patch of blackish brown scales on the outside, the dorsal spot further from base than the subcostal, bordered at outer edge by a tubercular golden metallic costal and a dorsal spot, the dorsal spot about one-half to twice the size of the costal, both spots opposite and inwardly edged dark greyish brown, a narrow white costal streak from outer costal spot and a white apical line from the apical protrusion, cilia greyish brown around apex, pale ochreous grey towards dorsum. Hindwing shining pale grey, cilia pale ochreous-grey. Underside: forewing shining pale ochreous-grey, the white apical line indistinctly visible, hindwing shining pale grey, whitish at apex. Abdomen dorsally shining yellow-ochreous, laterally shining grey,ventrally shining yellowish white, anal tuft white in male, yellowish white in female.
Etymology
The species is named after Erinome, a moon of JupiterJupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
. To be treated as a noun in apposition.