Agrionympha

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Agrionympha
Agrionympha cf jansella 256510104.jpg
Agrionympha cf. jansella
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Micropterigidae
Genus: Agrionympha
Meyrick, 1921 [1]
Species

see text.

Agrionympha is a genus of small primitive metallic moths in the family Micropterigidae, [2] and the only described micropterigid genus in Africa. [3]

The genus is associated with Afrotemperate Forest, and is endemic to South Africa. The larvae fed on liverworts, and the adult moths appear to require sheltered, humid sites (they are often found amongst ferns). [4]

Species

The following species are recognised: [4]

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<i>Sabatinca aurella</i> Moth species in family Micropterigidae

Sabatinca aurella is a species of moth of the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of this species are variable in appearance but tend to be coloured yellow-green with greyish patches. The adults of the species have a pale golden appearance with silver or purple coloured bars on the forewings. The moth has an approximate wingspan of around 1 cm. This species is found from the Coromandel Peninsula to the Fox Glacier and is on the wing from September to January. A larval host species is the liverwort Heteroscyphus lingulatus. The preferred habitat of this species is at higher altitudes than other New Zealand endemic species in this genus; and the moth tends to prefer forest or subalpine grass or scrubland.

<i>Sabatinca chalcophanes</i> Species of moth

Sabatinca chalcophanes is a moth of the family Micropterigidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North Island apart from Northland and in the South Island apart from in the east, south of Queen Charlotte Sound. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to April and as a result of this long period it has been hypothesised that this species has two broods. The preferred habitat of this species is in damp lowland forest. The larval host species are foliose liverwort species including Hymenophyton flabellatum.

<i>Zealandopterix zonodoxa</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

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<i>Sabatinca</i> Genus of moths in family Micropterigidae

Sabatinca is a genus of small primitive metallic moths in the family Micropterigidae. Palaeomicra and Micropardalis were both established as subgenera of Sabatinca, but were both raised to generic level by Joël Minet in 1985. However, in 2014 both these genera, Palaeomicra and Micropardalis, were recognised by George Gibbs as synonyms of Sabatinca. Extinct species in this genus are known from the Cretaceous Burmese amber.

<i>Sabatinca doroxena</i> Moth species in family Micropterigidae

Sabatinca doroxena is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. This small moth has a colourful forewing pattern with stripes and dots evident. It has been hypothesised that the forewing pattern is intended to resemble a jumping spider in order to allow the adult moth to escape predation. Adults of this species are on the wing from the beginning of September until mid January. It prefers damp but sunny habitat in deep forest, at the forest edge or in open shrubland. Larvae feed on foliose liverwort species including on Leptoscyphus normalis. Adults of this species have been located at the blossoms of flowering Cordyline and Ranunculus species.

<i>Sabatinca caustica</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca caustica is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both Southland and at Stewart Island / Rakiura. The adults of this species are variable in appearance with some specimens being mainly white on their forewings while others have forewings that are a more mottled purple-brown colour. Adults are on the wing from the start of October until the middle of December. Larvae feed on the surface of leafy liverworts.

<i>Sabatinca chrysargyra</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca chrysargyra is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1886 and is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found from Franz Josef Glacier / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere south but only on the western side of the South Island. Adults are on the wing from the beginning of October until the middle of January. Larvae likely feed on foliose liverworts and have been found on species in the genus Plagiochila. The adult moths live in a range of habitats preferring sunny open spaces in forests or snow-tussock grasslands that can range in altitude from near sea level up to 1,230 m. This species is very similar in appearance to Sabatinca aemula and dissection of genitalia is required to distinguish between the two species.

<i>Sabatinca calliarcha</i> Species of moth endemic to New Zealand

Sabatinca calliarcha is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is found in two separate areas of New Zealand - the first in the northern parts of the North Island including Great Barrier Island and the second population can be found from the top of the South Island down to Southland. The adults of the species are on the wing from the end of September until the middle of January. The species prefers to inhabit damp forests and larvae likely feed on leafy liverwort species. Adult moths likely feed on the spores of ferns or the pollen of sedge grasses.

Agrionympha capensis is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Paul Whalley in 1978. It is known from South Africa, where it is found in the Western and Eastern Cape districts.

Agrionympha vari is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Paul Whalley in 1978. It is found in South Africa, where it is known only from the Mariepskop in the Mpumalanga Province.

Agrionympha pseliacma is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1921. It is found in South Africa, where it is known only from Karkloof Falls in KwaZulu-Natal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micropterigidae</span> Family of primitive moths

Micropterigoidea is the superfamily of "mandibulate archaic moths", all placed in the single family Micropterigidae, containing currently about twenty living genera. They are considered the most primitive extant lineage of lepidoptera, and the sole superfamily in the suborder Zeugloptera. The name comes from the Greek for mikros, little and pterux, a wing. Unique among the Lepidoptera, these moths have chewing mouthparts rather than a proboscis, and are seen feeding, often in large aggregations, on the pollen of the flowers of many herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. The fossil record of the group goes back to the middle-late Jurassic with the earliest known species being Auliepterix from the Karabastau Formation in Kazakhstan.

Agrionympha fuscoapicella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by George W. Gibbs and Niels P. Kristensen in 2011. It is found in South Africa, where it is known only from Hogsback in the Eastern Cape.

Agrionympha karoo is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by George W. Gibbs and Niels P. Kristensen in 2011. It is found in South Africa, where it is known only to the Eastern Cape.

Agrionympha kroonella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by George W. Gibbs and Niels P. Kristensen in 2011. It is found in South Africa, where it is known only from the Drakensberg Ranges in the Mpumalanga Province.

Agrionympha sagittella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by George W. Gibbs and Niels P. Kristensen in 2011. It is found in South Africa, where it is known from the Hogsback and Ngadu Forests in the Eastern Cape.

<i>Perittia</i> Genus of moths

Perittia is a genus of moths of the family Elachistidae. It occurs in Eurasia, North and South Africa, Hawaii, and the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracillariinae</span> Subfamily of moths

Gracillariinae are a subfamily of moths which was described by Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854.

References

  1. Meyrick, E (1921). "Descriptions of South African Micro-Lepidoptera". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 8 (2): 144. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. biolib.cz
  3. Krüger, Martin (2020). "Checklist of the Lepidoptera of southern Africa". Metamorphosis. 31 (2): 4. doi: 10.4314/met.v31i2.2 . Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 Gibbs, G.W. and Kristensen, N.P., 2011. Agrionympha, the long-known South African jaw moths: a revision with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae). Zootaxa, 2764(1), pp.1-21. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2764.1.1