Monopis laevigella
Encyclopedia
The Skin Moth is a species
of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family
(Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It is (under its junior synonym Tinea rusticella) the type species
of the genus Monopis
and its junior objective synonym Hyalospila. As with the Common Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella), earlier authors frequently misapplied the name Tinea vestianella to the present species.
It is not uncommon all across western Eurasia
as well as in North America
. It has not been recorded in Slovenia
yet, but given that it occurs in all neighboring countries, it probably has simply been overlooked. Its absence from some Mediterranean islands may be genuine however.
have a wingspan of 13–20 mm. On the wing around May to September (depending on the location), they are nocturnal and come out at dusk
. They have dark brown forewings with a white fringe and the translucent center spot characteristic for the genus Monopis
, but lack the white markings adjacent to it found in many congener
s. The hindwings are lighter brown-grey; they are surrounded by a long-haired fringe, as usual for fungus moths and relatives. The body is dark brown, and the head bears a tuft of reddish-ochre hair.
Two generation
s per year may occur as far north as southern England
. Otherwise, the caterpillar
larva
e are found in the colder months only. They generally feed on animal detritus
. They have been recorded from dried-out animal carcass
es, in the debris
of bird nest
s and on owl pellets. They have also been found to eat feather
s, fur
s, hair
s, carpet
s, rag
s and rotted fabric
s.
Blabophanes semispilotella has been believed to refer to the same animal as M. weaverella, but the latter seems to be a distinct species, while the former is not even a subspecies
of M. laevigella but merely a chance form.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It is (under its junior synonym Tinea rusticella) the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
of the genus Monopis
Monopis
Monopis is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the nominate subfamily, Tineinae.A typical feature of these moths is a semi-transparent pale spot near the middle of the forewings. There usually are contrasting white markings adjacent to it...
and its junior objective synonym Hyalospila. As with the Common Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella), earlier authors frequently misapplied the name Tinea vestianella to the present species.
It is not uncommon all across western Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
as well as in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It has not been recorded in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
yet, but given that it occurs in all neighboring countries, it probably has simply been overlooked. Its absence from some Mediterranean islands may be genuine however.
Description and ecology
The adults of this small mothMoth
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...
have a wingspan of 13–20 mm. On the wing around May to September (depending on the location), they are nocturnal and come out at dusk
Dusk
Dusk is the beginning of darkness in the evening, and occurs after twilight, when the sky generally remains bright and blue. Civil dusk is when the earth has rotated enough that the center of the sun is at 6° below the local horizon...
. They have dark brown forewings with a white fringe and the translucent center spot characteristic for the genus Monopis
Monopis
Monopis is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the nominate subfamily, Tineinae.A typical feature of these moths is a semi-transparent pale spot near the middle of the forewings. There usually are contrasting white markings adjacent to it...
, but lack the white markings adjacent to it found in many congener
Congener
Congener has several different meanings depending on the field in which it is used. Colloquially, it is used to mean a person or thing like another, in character or action.-Biology:In biology, congeners are organisms within the same genus...
s. The hindwings are lighter brown-grey; they are surrounded by a long-haired fringe, as usual for fungus moths and relatives. The body is dark brown, and the head bears a tuft of reddish-ochre hair.
Two generation
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
s per year may occur as far north as southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Otherwise, the caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e are found in the colder months only. They generally feed on animal detritus
Detritus
Detritus is a biological term used to describe dead or waste organic material.Detritus may also refer to:* Detritus , a geological term used to describe the particles of rock produced by weathering...
. They have been recorded from dried-out animal carcass
Carcass
Carcass may refer to:*Cadaver of a human, or carrion of an animal.*Carcass , a death metal/grindcore band*Carcass , a type of incendiary ammunition designed to be fired from a cannon, three ships of the Royal Navy...
es, in the debris
Debris
Debris is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier etc. The singular form of debris is debris...
of bird nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
s and on owl pellets. They have also been found to eat feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s, fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
s, hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
s, carpet
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
s, rag
Rag
Rag or rags may refer to:*A torn, threadbare or otherwise inferior piece of textile.*A piece of ragtime music.*Raga, the musical scale of a composition in Indian classical music.*Rag...
s and rotted fabric
Fabric
A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England...
s.
Synonyms
Invalid scientific names (junior synonyms and others) of the Skin Moth are:- Blabophanes semispilotella Strand, 1900
- Monopis rusticella (Hübner, 1796)
- Monopis saturella (Haworth, 1828)
- Recurvaria rustica Haworth, 1828 (unjustified emendation)
- Tinea laevigella Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
- Tinea rusticella Hübner, 1796
- Tinea saturella Haworth, 1828
- Tinea vestianella (sensu auct., non Linnaeus, 1758: preoccupied)
Blabophanes semispilotella has been believed to refer to the same animal as M. weaverella, but the latter seems to be a distinct species, while the former is not even a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of M. laevigella but merely a chance form.