Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

View PDF	Cosmopterigidae Members:	Cosmopterix Members:	0 NC Records
Cosmopterix thelxinoe Koster, 2010 - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Superfamily: Gelechioidea	Family: Cosmopterigidae	P3 Number: 59a0382	MONA Number: 1498.10
Comments: Cosmopterix is a very large genus of small, colorful moths that are found on every continent except Antarctica. There are 31 species that are currently recognized in North America, and all are leafminers.
Species Status: The holotype was collected by Morrison in 1883 in North Carolina (county not reported).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:	Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD	Technical Description, Adults: Koster, 2010.
Adult Markings: The following description focuses on forewing and antenna patterning, and is based on a more detailed description presented by Koster (2010). The vertex and dorsal area of the thoracic region have two lateral and one medial white line. The scape is white below and brown above with a white anterior line. The antenna is shining dark brown with a white line that extends from the base to one-sixth the antenna length. This changes to an interrupted (dotted) line to beyond one-half, followed by the following sequence towards the apex: approximately five segments that are white-lined, five dark brown segments, four white segments, two dark brown segments, two white segments, ten dark brown segments and seven white segments at the apex. The forewing is dark brown with four white lines in the basal area. These consist of 1) a subcostal line from the base to one-quarter of the wing length, and that slightly bends from the costa distally, 2) a short and straight medial line above the fold that extends from one-fifth to one-third, 3) a similar subdorsal line below the fold that is slightly further from the base than the medial, and 4) an indistinct dorsal line from beyond the base to one-fifth the wing length. A broad yellow transverse fascia is present just beyond the middle with a small apical protrusion. The fascia is bordered at the inner edge by two united pale golden metallic tubercular spots that form a second fascia. This fascia does not reach the costa, and is edged by a small blackish brown subcostal spot on the outside. The yellow transverse fascia is bordered at the outer edge by two similarly colored costal and dorsal spots. The dorsal spot is three times as large as the costal spot, and slightly more towards the base. Both spots are inwardly lined with dark brown. A white costal streak extends from the outer costal spot to the costa. A white apical line extends from beyond the apical protrusion to the cilia, which are dark brown around the apex and paler towards the dorsum. The hindwing is dark brownish gray with brown cilia.
Forewing Length: 3.5 mm (Koster, 2010)
Adult Structural Features: The following is based on descriptions in Koster (2010). Male genitalia. The right brachium of the uncus has the apical part upwardly bent and slightly wider than the basal part. It gradually tapers apically to a long and narrow apex. The tip is a tiny hook. The left brachium is narrow with a rounded tip, and about one-third of the length of the right brachium. The valva is broadly boot-shaped. The caudal margin is rounded, the upper margin is strongly rounded, and the lower margin is slightly convex. The anellus lobes are very wide in the apical part, hardly bent, and gradually narrow to a blunt apex. The aedeagus is bottle-shaped and narrows distally to less than one-third of the bulbous part. The basal part is about one-half the length of bulbous part, and the lateral lobes are large, triangular, and almost as long as the length of basal part. Female genitalia. The posterior edge of sternite VII is strongly concave with a convex section in the middle. The sterigma is oval and the anterior part is narrowed. The ostium bursae is round. Ventrally, it has a semicircular sclerotization and a medial ridge that widens anteriorly. The ductus bursae is about two-thirds the length of the corpus bursae and with a sclerotized section where it enters the latter. The corpus bursae is oval, and both signa as small sclerotized indentions. Koster (2010) noted that the female genitalia cannot be distinguished with certainty from that of C. teligera.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development: We have no information on the larval life history.

Distribution in North Carolina


Distribution: The holotype was collected by Morrison in 1883 in North Carolina (county not reported). The only other known population is from Distrito Federal, Brazil (Koster, 2010). No new populations have been documented in North Carolina since 1883.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: We do not know anything about the natural history of this species in North America, including its flight season.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: unknown.

Larval Host Plants: Host plants are apparently unknown. - View

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks:

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments:

Cosmopterix thelxinoe Koster, 2010 - No Common Name