Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493
Cosmopterix clemensella
This record describes Cosmopterix clemensella (species). Recorded family: Cosmopterigidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See description and figures here . Genitalia:
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
Canada: Manitoba, Ontario; USA: from Maine to the mountains of southern North Carolina, but most commonly in New York and Ohio (Hodges, 1978 ) .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Sedges ( Carex spp.)
Life History
Larvae are leafminers in overwintering leaves. They feed in both the fall and the spring, and the moths emerge in May and June .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Patronym for James Brackenridge Clemens, the first American to describe a large number of species of microlepidoptera.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cosmopterix clemensella. 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 clemensella - Hodges#1493 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Kyhl Austin , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493
What is Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493?
Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493 (Cosmopterix clemensella) is a species in the family Cosmopterigidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493?
Forewing length 4.9 mm .
How do you identify Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493?
See description and figures here . Genitalia:
Where is Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493 found?
Range: Canada: Manitoba, Ontario; USA: from Maine to the mountains of southern North Carolina, but most commonly in New York and Ohio (Hodges, 1978 ) .
What does Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493 eat?
The diet of the Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493 includes Sedges ( Carex spp.).
What is the life cycle of a Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493?
Larvae are leafminers in overwintering leaves. They feed in both the fall and the spring, and the moths emerge in May and June .