Cosmopterix opulenta
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix opulenta is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from the United States
(California
, Oklahoma
, Arizona
, New Mexico
) and Costa Rica
.
Male, female. Forewing length 3.3-3.6 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-grey with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with reddish reflection, laterally and medially lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment four-fifths of the length of third, shining dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally; scape dark brown with white anterior and dorsal lines, antenna dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by five dark brown segments, six white, two dark brown, two white, two dark brown, two white, six dark brown and eight white segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: shining dark greyish brown, femora pale ochreous-grey, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one to three and four in apical half, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial streaks and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three and five with white apical rings, tibia of hindleg with a long and oblique white line on outside from base to four-fifths, followed by a white subapical ring, tarsal segment one with a white basal ring and dorsally white in the apical half, segments two to five dorsally white, spurs white dorsally, dark brownish grey ventrally. Forewing shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, five white lines in the basal area, a costal from one-quarter to the transverse fascia, a subcostal from base to one-quarter, slightly bending from costa, a medial from beyond base to two-fifths, a subdorsal from one-quarter almost to the transverse fascia, an indistinct dorsal from beyond base to one-quarter, a pale yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle and with an irregular basal protrusion in middle and with a broad, distally narrowed, prolongation towards apex, bordered at the inner edge by two subcostal and a subdorsal tubercular silver metallic spots, the subdorsal spot slightly further from base than the subcostal, the subcostal with a patch of blackish scales on the outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia are two tubercular silver metallic costal and dorsal spots, almost opposite, the dorsal spot about three times as large as the costal, the costal spot with some bronze brown inward lining, a white costal streak from the outer costal spot, a broad white apical line from the prolongation of transverse fascia to apex, cilia pale yellow from the white costal streak to the costal end of the transverse fascia, changing into bronze brown around apex, paler towards dorsum. Hindwing shining pale brownish grey, cilia greyish brown. Underside: forewing shining greyish brown, the yellow section in the costal cilia and the white apical line distinctly visible, hindwing shining brownish grey.
and Artemisia douglasiana
. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mines extend principally along the midrib, with irregular projections branching out on either side. The larva spins a cocoon on the densely pubescent under side of the leaf, constructed of silk, and the whitish pubescence of the leaf. Mines have been collected in October, while adults appeared in April of the following year. Adults have also been collected from June to July and September to October. There are two generations per year.
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...
(California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 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...
, 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...
) and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
.
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 3.3-3.6 mm. Head: frons shining ochreous-grey with greenish and reddish reflections, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with reddish reflection, laterally and medially lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment four-fifths of the length of third, shining dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally; scape dark brown with white anterior and dorsal lines, antenna dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by five dark brown segments, six white, two dark brown, two white, two dark brown, two white, six dark brown and eight white segments at apex. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, thorax with a white median line, tegulae lined white inwardly. Legs: shining dark greyish brown, femora pale ochreous-grey, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one to three and four in apical half, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with white oblique basal and medial streaks and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three and five with white apical rings, tibia of hindleg with a long and oblique white line on outside from base to four-fifths, followed by a white subapical ring, tarsal segment one with a white basal ring and dorsally white in the apical half, segments two to five dorsally white, spurs white dorsally, dark brownish grey ventrally. Forewing shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, five white lines in the basal area, a costal from one-quarter to the transverse fascia, a subcostal from base to one-quarter, slightly bending from costa, a medial from beyond base to two-fifths, a subdorsal from one-quarter almost to the transverse fascia, an indistinct dorsal from beyond base to one-quarter, a pale yellow transverse fascia beyond the middle and with an irregular basal protrusion in middle and with a broad, distally narrowed, prolongation towards apex, bordered at the inner edge by two subcostal and a subdorsal tubercular silver metallic spots, the subdorsal spot slightly further from base than the subcostal, the subcostal with a patch of blackish scales on the outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia are two tubercular silver metallic costal and dorsal spots, almost opposite, the dorsal spot about three times as large as the costal, the costal spot with some bronze brown inward lining, a white costal streak from the outer costal spot, a broad white apical line from the prolongation of transverse fascia to apex, cilia pale yellow from the white costal streak to the costal end of the transverse fascia, changing into bronze brown around apex, paler towards dorsum. Hindwing shining pale brownish grey, cilia greyish brown. Underside: forewing shining greyish brown, the yellow section in the costal cilia and the white apical line distinctly visible, hindwing shining brownish grey.
Biology
The larvae feed on Ambrosia psilostachyaAmbrosia psilostachya
Ambrosia psilostachya is a species of ragweed known by the common names Cuman ragweed, perennial ragweed, and western ragweed....
and Artemisia douglasiana
Artemisia douglasiana
Artemisia douglasiana is a non-seeding aromatic shrub in the genus Artemisia. It is native to western North America, in the Western United States and into Baja California, Mexico. It is commonly called Mugwort, Douglas's Sagewort, or Dream Plant.-Uses:This plant has been used as a ceremonial plant...
. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mines extend principally along the midrib, with irregular projections branching out on either side. The larva spins a cocoon on the densely pubescent under side of the leaf, constructed of silk, and the whitish pubescence of the leaf. Mines have been collected in October, while adults appeared in April of the following year. Adults have also been collected from June to July and September to October. There are two generations per year.