Cosmopterix pulchrimella
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Cosmopterix pulchrimella |
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| Cosmopterix pulchrimella | ||||||||||||
| Chambers , 1875 |
Cosmopterix pulchrimella is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of cosmopterigidae (Cosmopterigidae).
features
The moths reach a wingspan of 6 to 8 millimeters. The forehead ( frons ) is gray and white towards the forehead plate ( clypeus ). The vertex and the neck tufts are dark brown. There are white lines on the sides and in the center of the head. The neck collar is dark brown. The first segment of the labial palps is very short and white. The second segment is 4/5 as long as the third segment, it is white on the inside, dark brown on the outside and has a white longitudinal line. The third segment is white and has a brown line on the outside.
The basal part of the antennae is dorsally dark brown and has a white line in front, and anteriorly it is white. The antennae are dark brown and have a white, broken line that extends from the base to over the first half. The often uninterrupted, white basal area is followed by sections of different sizes of white and dark brown segments in the direction of the antenna tip (five dark brown, one white, one dark brown, one white, three dark brown, one white, about 12 dark brown, three white and Tip five dark brown). The thorax is brown and has a white center line. The tegulae are dark brown.
The legs are dark brown. The front legs have a white line on the tibia and the first phalanx . The tibia of the middle legs have oblique, white basal and medial lines and a white ring at the top. The first two segments of the tarsi have white rings at the top, the fifth segment of the tarsi is completely white. The tibiae of the hind legs are colored in the same way as those of the middle legs. The four and five tarsal segments are completely white, the spurs are dorsally white and ventrally brown.
The forewings are dark brown and drawn in the basal region with three short silvery lines, which can sometimes have a pale gold sheen. The subcostal line is closest to the base of the forewing and curves distally away from the costal vein . The middle line is smaller and is located below and at the end of the subcostal line. The subdorsal line is as long as the subcostal line, but it is further away from the base of the forewing. In the middle of the wing there is a bright orange transverse band that tapers towards the inner edge of the wing. In some examples from the USA it is partially or completely darkened. The inner edge is bordered by a wide, bumpy, pale gold colored band, which sometimes shines pale pink. The orange transverse band is perpendicular to the inner edge of the wing and has a black border on the outside. On the outside, it is bordered by a slanting inward, pale golden band, which is bordered in black on the inside. There is a white line in the outer band on the Costalader. The apical line consists of a silvery, blue shimmering spot located in the middle of the apical area. There is a wide, white spot on the fringed scales at the apex , otherwise the fringed scales are brown. The hind wings are brown and have brown fringed scales.
The underside of the forewing is gray-brown, the white costal line and the white apical spot are clearly visible. The hind wing underside is gray-brown.
The abdomen is dorsal dark brown, the ventral segments are banded white behind. The anal tuft is brown.
In the males, the right brachium is spatulate and about four times longer than the left. It tapers slightly distally and has a blunt apex. The blades are rounded, the upper and lower edges are concave , the caudal edge is convex . The Valvellae are slightly curved, narrowest near their base and widest in the middle. They taper to a point distally. The aedeagus is slim. The front part is straight and slightly curved downwards, the rear part is short and straight.
In the females, the rear edge of the 7th sternite is slightly concave. The 8th segment is about two and a half times as wide as it is long. The ostium is rounded and cup-shaped sclerotized . Underneath is a weakly sclerotized ridge. The sterigma is oval. The ductus bursae is slightly longer than the corpus bursae and gradually widens towards the corpus bursae. The corpus bursae is elongated and provided with two small, sickle-shaped signs.
Similar species
Cosmopterix pulchrimella differs from Cosmopterix scribaiella , Cosmopterix attenuatella and Cosmopterix crassiceruicaella by the uninterrupted outer, pale gold band and the three short silvery lines in the basal region of the forewings.
distribution
Cosmopterix pulchrimella is distributed from Portugal in the west across the Mediterranean to the west of Transcaucasia in the east. In the north, the distribution area extends to Switzerland and Hungary . The species is also found in the Azores and the Canary Islands , in England it was found in 2002 ( Guernsey ). The species is widespread in the United States .
biology
The caterpillars develop on upright glasswort ( Parietaria officinalis ), Pennsylvanian glasswort ( Parietaria pennsylvanica ) and Pilea pumila , where they mine in the leaves. The mine begins as an irregular feeding tunnel near the leaf center rib; after a short time this results in an irregular space mine. Inside, the caterpillars make a web so that the leaf is often pulled together. A feeding passage lined with spider silk serves as a hiding place for the caterpillars when they are not eating. Some of the caterpillar droppings remain in the mine, but the majority is ejected through a hole at the start of the mine. The black balls of manure on the underside of the leaves reveal the presence of the caterpillar. The caterpillars change mines very often. Pupation takes place inside the mine. The species forms several overlapping generations per year. The moths fly from the end of April to the beginning of autumn.
Systematics
The following synonyms are known:
- Cosmopteryx pulcherimella Chambers , 1878
- Cosmopteryx parietaria M. Hering , 1931
- Cosmopteryx pulchrimella Chambers , 1875
supporting documents
- ^ 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 .
- ↑ 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. 115 (English).
- ↑ Cosmopterix pulchrimella in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved January 8, 2012
Web links
- Determination aid of the Lepiforum for the butterfly species found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Cosmopterix pulchrimella Chambers, 1875. Lepiforum e. V., accessed January 8, 2012 . Taxonomy, photos, first description
- Guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Cosmopterix pulchrimella. Ian Kimber, accessed January 8, 2012 . (English)