Hodgesiella christophi

Hodgesiella Christophi is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the splendor butterfly ( Cosmopterigidae ). The species was named after the Russian entomologist Hugo Theodor Christoph.

Features

The moths reach a wingspan 8-10 mm. Head and forehead ( frons ) white gleam of the vertices ( vertex ) and the neck tufts shining bronze brown. The antennae are curled dark brown and white in the first two thirds. Subapical the antennae are dark brown and have a white ring, the last fifth is white. Thorax and tegulae shining dark brown. The femurs of the front and middle legs shining gray, the rear legs are grayish white. The tibiae and tarsi shining dark brown, the tibiae of the front legs have two white oblong lines. The tibiae of the middle legs have medial and apical white rings. The tibiae of the hind legs are decorated with white basal, medial and apical rings. The tarsi of the front legs have a white line and a white apical ring on the first two segments, the fifth segment is white. The tarsi of the middle and hind legs have white apical rings. The Spurs are white.

The forewing shining dark brown and are provided with two shiny white napkins. The first is located at 1 /5 of the forewing length, the second is located in the wing center and does not reach the wing inner edge. Both bandages are either perpendicular to the Costa loader or run slightly obliquely inward. Lateral margins they are ocher. A white Costalfleck located at 3 /4 of the forewing length, a small white spot is located at the inner angle. Both are inside margins ocher. The fringe scales are grayish brown and darker at the apex. The hind wings shining gray and ocher are slightly darker towards the apex. The fringe scales are ocher- gray. The abdomen shining gray.

The genital armature of the males is similar to that of Hodgesiella rebeli, the right brachium is but slightly expanded distally. The tubular portion of the aedeagus distally curved and the right Valvella is rounded.

The genital armature of females resembles that of Hodgesiella rebeli, the sterigma is but slender, tapering distally gradually and is bent in the middle. The ductus bursae is very narrow, the extension of the corpus bursae is elongate.

Similar Species

Hodgesiella Christophi can be distinguished from Hodgesiella rebeli and Hodgesiella rhodorrhisella using the bronze brown head. By H. rebeli the species differs also by the incomplete second binding on the front wings and the broken outer bandage. In H. rhodorrhisella internal bond is regular.

Dissemination

Hodgesiella Christophi is native to Asia Minor.

Biology

The biology of the species is unknown. Moths were collected from mid to late June.

Documents

• Cosmopterigidae
• Splendor falter