Cosmopterix irrubricata
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix irrubricata is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from Jamaica
and Mexico
(Veracruz-Llave).
Adults have been recorded in March and April.
Male, female. Forewing length 3.5 3.7 mm. Head: frons shining greyish white with reddish reflection, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with reddish reflection, laterally lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, greyish white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark 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 shining dark brown with a white interrupted line from base to two-fifths, at base a short uninterrupted section, followed towards apex by a dark brown section, two white segments, two dark brown, two white and ten dark brown segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line. Legs: shining dark brown, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one and two, segment four with a white apical ring, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one, two and four with white apical rings, segment five dorsally white, tibia of hindleg with a pale golden metallic basal streak and pale golden metallic medial and subapical rings, and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three with white apical rings, segment four and five entirely white, spurs dark brown, apically lighter. Forewing with basal one-fifth shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, remaining part shining dark brown with reddish gloss, at one-fifth three short silver metallic streaks with bluish reflection, a subcostal, a medial just above fold and more towards base than the subcostal, a subdorsal, further from base and twice as long as the subcostal and the medial, a broad tubercular silver metallic fascia with violet reflection in the middle, perpendicular on dorsum, at three-fifths a tubercular silver metallic dorsal spot with violet reflection, a similarly coloured but much smaller costal spot at three-quarters, outwardly edged by a narrow white costal streak, between the fascia and the dorsal spot a yellow streak at dorsum, apical line as a short silver metallic streak with bluish reflection in the middle of the apical area and a broad white spot in cilia at apex, cilia dark brown, paler on dorsum towards base. Hindwing shining brownish grey, cilia brown. Underside: forewing shining dark greyish brown with the white costal streak and apical spot distinctly visible, hindwing greyish brown. Abdomen dorsally shining pale ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, laterally darker, segments two to seven banded light grey posteriorly, ventrally dark greyish brown, segments broadly banded shining white posteriorly and with a shining white longitudinal medial streak, anal tuft greyish brown.
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 Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(Veracruz-Llave).
Adults have been recorded in March and 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, female. Forewing length 3.5 3.7 mm. Head: frons shining greyish white with reddish reflection, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with reddish reflection, laterally lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, greyish white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark 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 shining dark brown with a white interrupted line from base to two-fifths, at base a short uninterrupted section, followed towards apex by a dark brown section, two white segments, two dark brown, two white and ten dark brown segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line. Legs: shining dark brown, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one and two, segment four with a white apical ring, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one, two and four with white apical rings, segment five dorsally white, tibia of hindleg with a pale golden metallic basal streak and pale golden metallic medial and subapical rings, and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three with white apical rings, segment four and five entirely white, spurs dark brown, apically lighter. Forewing with basal one-fifth shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, remaining part shining dark brown with reddish gloss, at one-fifth three short silver metallic streaks with bluish reflection, a subcostal, a medial just above fold and more towards base than the subcostal, a subdorsal, further from base and twice as long as the subcostal and the medial, a broad tubercular silver metallic fascia with violet reflection in the middle, perpendicular on dorsum, at three-fifths a tubercular silver metallic dorsal spot with violet reflection, a similarly coloured but much smaller costal spot at three-quarters, outwardly edged by a narrow white costal streak, between the fascia and the dorsal spot a yellow streak at dorsum, apical line as a short silver metallic streak with bluish reflection in the middle of the apical area and a broad white spot in cilia at apex, cilia dark brown, paler on dorsum towards base. Hindwing shining brownish grey, cilia brown. Underside: forewing shining dark greyish brown with the white costal streak and apical spot distinctly visible, hindwing greyish brown. Abdomen dorsally shining pale ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, laterally darker, segments two to seven banded light grey posteriorly, ventrally dark greyish brown, segments broadly banded shining white posteriorly and with a shining white longitudinal medial streak, anal tuft greyish brown.