Nicotiana is a genus of herbaceous plants and shrubs in the family Solanaceae, that is indigenous to the Americas, Australia, Southwestern Africa and the South Pacific. Various Nicotiana species, commonly referred to as tobacco plants, are cultivated as ornamental garden plants. N. tabacum is grown worldwide for the cultivation of tobacco leaves used for manufacturing and producing tobacco products, including cigars, cigarillos, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, snuff, and snus.
The Gelechiidae are a family of moths commonly referred to as twirler moths or gelechiid moths. They are the namesake family of the huge and little-studied superfamily Gelechioidea, and the family's taxonomy has been subject to considerable dispute. These are generally very small moths with narrow, fringed wings. The larvae of most species feed internally on various parts of their host plants, sometimes causing galls. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga) is a host plant common to many species of the family, particularly of the genus Chionodes, which as a result is more diverse in North America than usual for Gelechioidea.
Adelpha californica, the California sister, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. They are common in California, but can also be found in western Nevada and Oregon, as well as in northern Baja California. The upper surfaces of their wings are dark brown to black with wide cream white bands dissecting both wings and two orange patches near the tips of the forewings. The underside is variously colored with browns, blue, orange, and white. A. californica is unpalatable to predators and is part of a large mimicry complex.
Ephysteris is a genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is assigned to tribe Gnorimoschemini of the subfamily Gelechiinae. Even though it is a rather diverse and widespread group, most of these small and inconspicuous moths were overlooked by scientists until the early 20th century. Almost 90 species are known today but new ones are still being discovered.
Gnorimoschema is a genus of moths in the family Gelechiidae.
Neopalpa is a genus of moths in the family Gelechiidae. They are found in California, Arizona, and northern Mexico. Neopalpa is classified in the tribe Gnorimoschemini and is most closely related to the genera Ochrodia and Ephysteris.
Nevadopalpa is a genus of moth in the family Gelechiidae.
Trychnopalpa is a monotypic moth genus in the family Gelechiidae. The only member of the genus was described by Edward Meyrick in 1913, and it was separated by Anthonie Johannes Theodorus Janse in his 1958 The Moths of South Africa. Dalibor F. Povolný gave the same member of this genus the now synonymised generic name Synthesiopalpa. The genus contains only one species, Trychnopalpa fornacaria, which is found in South Africa.
Batrachedra arenosella, the armoured scale eating caterpillar or the coconut moth, is a species of moth of the family Batrachedridae. It was first described by Francis Walker using specimens collected in Auckland, New Zealand. It has been hypothesised that the New Zealand moth may contain two distinct species. As well as the moth species in New Zealand, this name has been applied, perhaps incorrectly, to moths found in India, Indonesia, the Malay Peninsula, and Réunion, as well as in Australia, from the Northern Territory and northern Queensland to New South Wales and South Australia.
Heterocrossa adreptella is a moth of the Carposinidae family. This species was long considered the New Zealand raspberry budmoth however this was a taxonomic misinterpretation of the type material used to describe this species. This error was corrected in 1988 with the New Zealand raspberry budmoth giving its own species name Heterocrossa rubophaga. H. adreptella is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected in the Wellington Botanic Garden and been observed resting on mānuka branches.
Mnesarchaea fusca is a species of primitive moths in the family Mnesarchaeidae. This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1922, and is endemic to New Zealand. The larvae of the species is bright green when young but turns a brownish green when mature. Adults of this species are small and dark brown with patches of reddish yellow on its forewings. This species is found in Nelson and Marlborough Sounds. It inhabits poorly lit forest ravines and gullies or areas near shaded waterways. Adults are on the wing between December and February.
Gelechiinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854.
Anisoplaca ptyoptera is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 and is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found throughout the North and South Islands and prefers habitat where its host plants are common. The larval hosts of this moth are species in the genus Carmichaelia and the larvae stem mine the host plant. However larvae have also been observed feeding on gorse species and as a result their potential as a biological control for gorse has been researched. This behaviour has only been recorded in the Canterbury and Otago regions. A. ptyoptera overwinters as larvae and while in that life stage can be parasitised by species of wasp in the genera Zealachertus and Diadegma. Pupation begins in October. Adult moths are on the wing from October until May with peak emergence occurring in January. The adult moths come in two size classes and should the size of the female be in the larger class fecundity is improved. It is likely that this species has only one brood a year.
Neopalpa neonata is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is found in southwest of North America, where it has been recorded throughout most of California, Arizona and the most western regions of Northern Mexico.
Prolita puertella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It was described by August Busck in 1916. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Montana, California and Arizona. It has also been reported from Baja California.
Kiwaia aerobatis is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1924. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been collected at Mount Arthur and at Arthur's Pass. Adults are on the wing in January.
Kiwaia pumila is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. It is classified as Nationally Vulnerable by the Department of Conservation.
Tetragramma donaldtrumpi is a species of fossil sea urchins discovered and identified by William R. Thompson Jr. in 2016. The specimen locality is from the Lower Cretaceous, Trinity Group, of the Glen Rose Formation near Fischer, Texas, in the United States.
Tingena horaea is a species of moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and have been observed in both the North and South Islands. The adults are on the wing in January.
