Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473
Cosmopterix astrapias
This record describes Cosmopterix astrapias (species). Recorded family: Cosmopterigidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Koster states the short oblique white line above the dorsal line near the base of the forewing is characteristic.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Cosmopterigidae (Cosmet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Cosmopteriginae
- Genus
- Cosmopterix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Massachusetts to Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Arizona to South America.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Koster reported the larvae are leaf miners on Ipomoea spp. in the United States.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cosmopterix astrapias. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473
What is Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473?
Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473 (Cosmopterix astrapias) is a species in the family Cosmopterigidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473?
Koster reports the forewing length of both sexes is 3.5-3.8 mm. . Hodges reports the forewing length of C. bendidia (a synonym) to be 3.2-4.5mm .
How do you identify Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473?
Koster states the short oblique white line above the dorsal line near the base of the forewing is characteristic.
Where is Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473 found?
Range: Massachusetts to Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Arizona to South America.
What does Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473 eat?
The diet of the Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473 includes Koster reported the larvae are leaf miners on Ipomoea spp. in the United States..