Vulcaniella caucasica

Vulcaniella caucasica is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the splendor butterfly ( Cosmopterigidae ).

Features

The moths reach a wingspan 8-10 mm. The head is pale ocher. Thorax and tegulae shining dark brown, are golden tinted and lined the back white. The forewing shining dark brown and golden glitter. The binding of the basal and the spots are arranged as in Vulcaniella pomposella. They are gold sublime and dark. The first and second respectively Costalfleck is a small white spot and the third Costalfleck is preceded by a large white spot. The first three segments of the abdomen are light gray, the other segments are dark gray.

In the males the right brachium is strongly dilated distally. The apex is truncated and has a slightly concave outer edge. The left brachium has a rectangular apex. The Valven are parallel walls. Valvella the right is slightly shorter than the distal portion of aedeagus. It is provided at the base wide and with a dorsal bulging bulge. For Apex it tapers. The left Valvella is small and very narrow. The aedeagus is very slim, the distal part tapers gradually.

In females, the eighth segment narrowed distally. The Antevaginalplatte has a concave trailing edge, the leading edge is convex. Sclerotisation on the trailing edge of the seventh sternite is wedge-shaped and has two lateral inwardly curved beads. The ductus bursae is about half as long as the corpus bursae. The aedeagus is very wrinkled, the signals are large and flat.

Dissemination

Vulcaniella caucasica is widespread in Asia Minor and the Caucasus in Armenia and in Azerbaijan.

Biology

The biology of the species is unknown. Moths were collected in June and July.

Documents

• Cosmopterigidae
• Splendor falter