Moths of North Carolina
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Stenoptinea Members:
1 NC Records

Stenoptinea auriferella (Dietz, 1905) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300137.00 MONA Number: 296.00
Comments: Stenoptinea is a small genus with only three described species, two of which occur in the eastern US. There is a least one additional undescribed species (microleps.org).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Dietz (1905)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the description by Dietz (1905). The maxillary palp is pale yellowish and dusted with fuscous. The second joint of the labial palp has rather long apical bristles. The terminal joint is fuscous in the basal half, with the remainder whitish. The face is creamy white and the tuft a rich maroon brown and divided in the middle. The antenna is grayish fuscous. The thorax and ground color of the wing varies from dark brown to lighter grayish brown. Two scale tufts are present just before the middle, along with two similar tufts at about four-fifths the wing length. There are usually six to seven indistinct whitish dashes along the costa that extend from near the middle towards the apex. The most anterior are directed obliquely backward and the subapical ones directed obliquely forward. A spot or dash of golden yellow scales is present within the basal fourth in the costal half, and another golden dash is present anterior to the second pair of scale tufts. The apical fifth of the wing and cilia are yellowish buff and contrast with the remainder of the forewing. The hindwing and cilia are pale fuscous. The legs are fuscous, with the tarsal joints pale at the apex. The abdomen is dark brown with a pale anal tuft. This species resembles S. ornatella (Dietz, 1905), but the latter is smaller and lacks the pale buff region on the apical region of the forewing.
Wingspan: 8 mm (Dietz, 1905).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The life history of the larval stage is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Stenoptinea auriferella is found in the eastern US, but the range is rather poorly documented due to the small number of records. The range extends from Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio and Illinois southward to North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, with at least one record from southern Alabama and Florida. As of 2020, we have a single record from the Piedmont.
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: The flight season is poorly defined, with adults most active in spring through mid-summer. As of 2020, our one record is from 4 May.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are undocumented.
Larval Host Plants: The feeding ecology is undocumented, but it is very likely that this species does not depend on living plants as hosts. It presumably feeds on detritus, fungi, lichens, bird feathers or other organic matter like most other tineids.
Observation Methods: The adults appear to only rarely appear at lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is seemly uncommon throughout its range, but more information is needed on its distribution and abundance before we can assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Stenoptinea auriferella - No common name

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2012-05-04
Wake Co.
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