Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483
Cosmopterix opulenta
This record describes Cosmopterix opulenta (species). Recorded family: Cosmopterigidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Labial Palps : first segment very short, white, second segment four-fifths of the length of third, shining dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally. |
| Antennae | Antennae : dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by five dark brown segments, six white, two dark brown, two white, two dark brown, two white, six dark brown and eight white segments at apex. |
| Forewing | Forewing : Pale yellowish transverse fascia beyond the middle, bordered at the inner edge by two subcostal and a subdorsal tubercular silver metallic spots, the subdorsal spot slightly further from base than the subcostal, the subcostal with a patch of blackish scales on the outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia. NOTE : For a more detailed description, see Wikipedia species page or read Koster . |
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
Known from the United States (California, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico), and Costa Rica. Distribution & Flight-period Chart
Seasonal Activity
Mines have been collected in October, while adults appeared in April of the following year. Adults have also been collected from June to July and September to October. There are two generations per year.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya , and California Mugwort Artemisia douglasiana .
Life History
"The larvae are leaf miners. The way of living of the larva is stated by Braun as follows: 'the mines extend principally along the midrib, with irregular projections branching out on either side. The larva spins a cocoon on the densely pubescent under side of the leaf, constructed of silk, and the whitish pubescence of the leaf."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cosmopterix opulenta. 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 opulenta - Hodges#1483 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robert Lord Zimlich; Additional contributions by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483
What is Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483?
Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483 (Cosmopterix opulenta) is a species in the family Cosmopterigidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483?
Forewing length: 3.3-3.6 mm
How do you identify Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Labial Palps : first segment very short, white, second segment four-fifths of the length of third, shining dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally. |
| Antennae | Antennae : dark brown with a white line from base to beyond one-half, followed towards apex by five dark brown segments, six white, two dark brown, two white, two dark brown, two white, six dark brown and eight white segments at apex. |
| Forewing | Forewing : Pale yellowish transverse fascia beyond the middle, bordered at the inner edge by two subcostal and a subdorsal tubercular silver metallic spots, the subdorsal spot slightly further from base than the subcostal, the subcostal with a patch of blackish scales on the outside, at two-thirds of the transverse fascia. NOTE : For a more detailed description, see Wikipedia species page or read Koster . |
Where is Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483 found?
Range: Known from the United States (California, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico), and Costa Rica. Distribution & Flight-period Chart
What does Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483 eat?
The diet of the Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483 includes Larvae feed on ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya , and California Mugwort Artemisia douglasiana ..
When is Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483 active?
Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483: seasonal activity - Mines have been collected in October, while adults appeared in April of the following year. Adults have also been collected from June to July and September to October. There are two generations per year..
What is the life cycle of a Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483?
The larvae are leaf miners. The way of living of the larva is stated by Braun as follows: 'the mines extend principally along the midrib, with irregular projections branching out on either side. The larva spins a cocoon on the densely pubescent under side of the leaf, constructed of silk, and the whitish pubescence of the leaf.