Cosmopterix

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Cosmopterix
Cosmopterix attenuatella

Cosmopterix attenuatella

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Magnificent butterfly (Cosmopterigidae)
Subfamily : Cosmopteriginae
Genre : Cosmopterix
Scientific name
Cosmopterix
Huebner , 1825
Wing veins of Cosmopterix zieglerella

Cosmopterix is a rich variety of species of butterflies from the family of cosmopterigidae (Cosmopterigidae).

features

The moths have a smooth, scaled head. The antennae are 3/4 to 4/5 as long as the fore wings and often slightly serrated distally . The arrangement of white and dark sections in the apical part of the antennae is species-specific. The labial palps are cylindrical and elongated. The last segment is usually strongly curved upwards and often extends over the head. The fore wings are narrow and lanceolate with a long, narrow, protruding apex . The drawing consists of a yellow or orange band surrounded by bumpy, shiny metallic bands or spots. The hind wings are almost straight.

In the males, the brachia are strongly asymmetrical. The left brachium is very short, slightly sclerotized and often inconspicuous. The right brachium is long, heavily sclerotized, and is important for species identification. The tegumen is short and has a sclerotized crest on the anterior edge. The blades are rounded. They have a rather narrow proximal part and a wide and densely hairy distal part. The valvellae are usually symmetrical. They are long, curved ventrally , and sometimes have a dorsal bulge. The aedeagus is short, often bulbous and tapering to a point. At the base there is a flange-shaped sclerotization. The 8th segment has two oval pleural lobes that cover the valve base.

In females, the apophyses posteriores are one and a half to twice as long as the apophyses anteriores . The sterigma is heavily sclerotized, tubular, and often protrudes. There is an ostium at the far end . The shape of the sterigma is also important for determining the species. The ductus bursae is long and narrow and sometimes sclerotized before it joins the corpus bursae. The corpus bursae is oval and provided with two triangular, sometimes very small signs. The rear edge of the 7th sternite continues in the median plane as a bulge, which is usually surrounded on the sides by special black scales.

distribution

The representatives of the genus are distributed worldwide, with the exception of the polar regions. To date, more than 230 species have been described, most of which are native to tropical regions.

biology

The caterpillars mine in the leaves of various grasses , herbaceous plants or shrubs. The food plants belong to different families such as the hemp family (Cannabaceae), sweet grass (Poaceae), legumes (Fabaceae), nettle family (Urticaceae) and others. Most Cosmopterix species live oligophagous or even monophagous , so knowledge of the food plant and the shape of the mine are important for species identification. The caterpillars often make silky hiding spots in which they retreat when they are not eating. The caterpillars overwinter in a cocoon that is made inside or outside the mine.

Systematics

The following list of species is based on the World catalog of cosmopterigid moths created by Sinev in 2002 and has been supplemented or corrected by further species from more recent work. The type species of the genus is Cosmopterix lienigiella Zeller , 1846.

The following synonyms are known:

  • Cosmopteryx Zeller , 1839
  • Liengiella Spuler , 1910

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d J. C. Koster, S. Yu. Sinev: Momphidae, Batrachedridae, Stathmopodidae, Agonoxenidae, Cosmopterigidae, Chrysopeleiidae . In: P. Huemer, O. Karsholt, L. Lyneborg (eds.): Microlepidoptera of Europe . 1st edition. tape 5 . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-66-8 , pp. 106 (English).
  2. ↑ a b S. Yu. Sinev (2002): World catalog of cosmopterigid moths (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae). Proceedings of the Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg, Volume 293, pp. 71-87.
  3. ↑ Hiroshi Kuroko, Youqiao Liu (2005): A study of Chinese Cosmopterix Hübner (Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae), with descriptions of new species. Trans. Lepid. Soc. Japan 56 (2), pp. 131-144.
  4. ↑ Peter Huemer, Sjaak (JC) Koster (2006): Cosmopterix athesiae sp. n., a widespread new species from Europe and Africa (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae, Cosmopteriginae). Publications of the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum 86, pp. 75–82.
  5. ^ JC Koster (2010): The genera Cosmopterix Hübner and Pebobs Hodges in the New World with special attention to the Neotropical fauna (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae). Zool. Med. Leiden 84 (10), pp. 251-575, ISSN  0024-0672 .
  6. ↑ Cosmopterix at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved January 3, 2012

Web links

Commons : Cosmopterix  - collection of images, videos and audio files