Cosmopterix pulchrimella
Cosmopterix pulchrimella
Cosmopterix pulchrimella is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the splendor butterfly ( Cosmopterigidae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 6-8 millimeters. The forehead ( frons ) is gray and toward the end plate ( clypeus ) white. The vertex (vertex ) and the neck tufts dark brown. There are white lines on the sides and in the middle of the head. The neck collar is dark brown. The first segment of labial palps is very short and white. The second segment is 4/5 as long as the third segment, it is white inside, outside and dark brown with a white longitudinal line provided. The third segment is white and has a brown line outside.
The basal joint of the sensors is dorsally dark brown and has a white front line, ventrally it is white. The antennae are dark brown and have a white, dashed line, which is above the first half of the base. On the often interrupted, white basal close towards sensor tip into large sections of white and dark brown segments at ( five dark brown, one white, one dark brown, one white, three dark brown, a white, about 12 dark brown, three white and on the top 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 tibiae and the first Tarsenglied. The tibiae of the middle legs have oblique white basal and medial lines and a white ring at the top. The first two Tarsenglieder have white rings at the top, the fifth Tarsenglied is colored completely white. The tibiae of the hind legs are also colored as those of the middle legs. The Tarsenglieder four and five are completely white, the Spurs are white dorsally and ventrally brown.
The forewings are dark brown and drawn in the basal region with three short silvery lines that can sometimes have a pale gold satin. The Subcostalstrich is closest to the front wing base and curves distally from the Costa loader away. The center bar is smaller and located below and at the end of Subcostalstrichs. The Subdorsalstrich is as long as the Subcostalstrich, but it is further away from the front wing base. In the wing middle is a bright orange transverse band, which tapers towards the wing inner edge. In some specimens from the United States it is partially or completely obscured. On the inner edge borders a broad, nodular, pale golden colored napkin that sometimes pale pink glitters. The orange transverse fascia is perpendicular to the wing inside edge and the outside is outlined in black. Outside it borders on an inclined inwardly extending, pale golden colored napkin inside black border. A white line is located in the outer binding on the Costa loader. The Apikallinie consists of a silvery, shimmering blue spot, which is located in the center of the apical region. A wide, white spot is located on the fringe scales at the apex, otherwise the fringe scales are brown. The hind wings are brown and have brown fringed scales.
The forewing underside is gray-brown, the white and the white Costalstrich Apikalfleck are clearly visible. The hind wing underside is gray-brown.
The abdomen is dorsally dark brown, ventrally the segments are behind white banded. The anus is brown tufts.
In the males the right brachium of the spatulate and is about four times longer than the left. Distal it tapers slightly and has a blunt apex. The Valven are rounded, the upper and lower edges are concave, the Caudalrand is convex. The Valvellae are slightly curved, near its base and narrowest in the middle at the widest. They run distally pointed. The aedeagus is slender. The front part is straight and slightly curved downward, the rear part is short and straight.
In females, the rear edge of the 7th sternite is slightly concave. The eighth segment is about two and a half times as wide as long. The ostium is sclerotized rounded and cup-shaped. Below is a weakly sclerotized ridge. Sterigma the oval. The ductus bursae slightly longer than the corpus bursae and widens gradually towards corpus bursae. The corpus bursae is elongate and provided with two small, crescent-shaped signals.
Similar Species
Cosmopterix pulchrimella differs from Cosmopterix scribaiella, Cosmopterix attenuatella and Cosmopterix crassiceruicaella by the uninterrupted outer, pale golden fascia and the three short silvery strokes in the basal region of the forewing.
Dissemination
Cosmopterix pulchrimella is distributed from Portugal in the west over the Mediterranean to the West Transcaucasia in the east. In the north, the distribution area extends into Switzerland and Hungary. The species occurs also in the Azores and the Canary Islands, in England it was found in 2002 (Guernsey). In the United States the type is widely used.
Biology
The caterpillars develop of Vital Pellitory ( Parietaria officinalis), Pennsylvanischem Pellitory ( Parietaria pennsylvanica ) and Pilea pumila, where she nate in the leaves. The mine begins as an irregular burrow near the midrib; it occurs after a short time an irregular course mine. Within the tracks to produce a web, so that the sheet is frequently contracted. A spin silk lined burrow serves the caterpillar as a hiding if they do not eat. Part of the Raupenkots remains in the mine, the largest part but ejected through a hole at the mine begins. The black fecal pellets revealed the presence of the caterpillar on the leaf underside. The caterpillars change the mines very often. Pupation takes place within the mine. It makes several overlapping generations per year. The moths fly from late April to early autumn.
System
There are known the following synonyms:
- Cosmopteryx pulcherimella Chambers, 1878
- Cosmopteryx Parietaria M. Hering, 1931
- Cosmopteryx pulchrimella Chambers, 1875