Tortilia charadritis
Tortilia charadritis is a butterfly of the family of Stathmopodidae.
- 5.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths have a wingspan of 7-9 millimeters. The head is pale yellow. The sensors shine yellowish brown and are easily cut in the distal half. Thorax and tegulae are brown front and rear pale yellow. The forewings are pale yellow, a brown basal spot is located between costal vein and costal fold. An irregularly wide trapezoidal brown tie begins at the costal vein and reaches the wing inner edge just before the middle.
A brown, diagonal to the outside binding is located in the apical region. The vane inner edge is often provided at the wing base and the apical half of the wing with scattered brown scales. The fringe scales are gray on the Costa brownish and at the wing tip. The hind wings shining gray white.
Similar Species
The size of the brown markings on the forewings is highly variable. T. graeca charadritis Tortilia distinguished by the almost completely brown thorax and the less clear and sharp front wing drawing.
Dissemination
Tortilia charadritis distribution ranging from North Africa to the Middle East to the west of Pakistan. In the eastern U.S. the species was introduced.
Biology
The caterpillars were found on dried leaves of various Kassien species ( Fabaceae ) that were imported into the United States from Sudan. Also on fruits of various Ziziphus species ( buckthorn family) were found caterpillars. Moths were observed or captured from May to July.
System
From the literature, the following synonyms are known:
- Isorrhoa charadritis Meyrick, 1924
- Stagmatophora stupenda Turati, 1927
- Tortilia oiatrix Busck, 1934
- Apertodiscus zernyi Amsel, 1935
- Stathmopoda trissorrhiza Meyrick, 1939
The type locality is located in Egypt at Aswan.