Pseudatemelia flavifrontella

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Pseudatemelia flavifrontella
Agnoea flavifrontella.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Oecophoridae (disputed)
Subfamily:
Amphisbatinae (but see text)
Genus:
Species:
P. flavifrontella
Binomial name
Pseudatemelia flavifrontella
Synonyms
  • Borkhausenia flavifrontella(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
  • Tinea flavifrontellaDenis & Schiffermüller, 1775
  • Tubuliferola flavifrontella(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Pseudatemelia flavifrontella is a species of gelechioid moths.

Contents

Taxonomy

In the systematic layout used here, it is placed within the subfamily Amphisbatinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). The Amphisbatinae have alternatively been merged into the Oecophorinae, raised to full family rank, or placed as a subgroup of the Depressariinae (or Depressariidae if ranked as family). P. flavifrontella was first scientifically described by M. Denis & I. Schiffermüller in 1775. For quite some time however, its description was erroneously attributed to J. Hübner in 1801. [2]

Recent research has shown that the genus Pseudatemelia is one of those close to Lypusa , the type of the supposed Tineoidea family Lypusidae. [3] The genus Pseudatemelia has to be dissolved and all the species previously assigned to it has to be transferred to the genus Agnoea. Consequently this species should be assigned to the genus Agnoea, Lypusidae family, Gelechioidea superfamily. [4] [5]

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Europe, where it inhabits woodlands, and in the Near East. [6] At the periphery of its range, it is not common; in the UK for example it is only patchily distributed, ranging northwestwards only to the English Midlands and Wales.

Description

Pseudatemelia cf. flavifrontella Oecophoridae - Pseudatemelia flavifrontella.JPG
Pseudatemelia cf. flavifrontella

The wingspan of this moth is about 20 mm; its forewing coloration is a quite drab light taupe, mottled with slightly darker tiny specks. The head is covered in orange-yellow hairs. [7] Antennae reach about ¾ length of the long forewings, that are held in shallow roof-shaped position. [8] Dorsal surface of the abdomen has very narrow scales. [9]

Biology

The adults fly from May to July depending on the location; they appear to be predominantly or exclusively nocturnal and can be attracted by light. Caterpillars stay in a portable case. [9] Little is known about the food of its caterpillars. Like their relatives, they appear to be adaptable and have been recorded on such diverse foodstuffs as dead plants, dry leaves, dried insect specimens and even feathers. [10]

Related Research Articles

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

The Coleophoridae are a family of small moths, belonging to the huge superfamily Gelechioidea. Collectively known as case-bearers, casebearing moths or case moths, this family is represented on all continents, but the majority are found in temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. They are most common in the Palearctic, and rare in sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and Australia; consequently, they probably originated in northern Eurasia. They are relatively common in houses, they seek out moist areas to rest and procreate.

<i>Olethreutes arcuella</i> Species of moth

Olethreutes arcuella, the arched marble, is a colorful small moth species of the family Tortricidae.

<i>Euplocamus anthracinalis</i> Species of moth

Euplocamus anthracinalis is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and among these to the subfamily Euplocaminae.

<i>Monopis obviella</i> Species of moth

Monopis obviella is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It is the type species of Blabophanes, today treated as a junior synonym of the genus Monopis. M. crocicapitella was only separated from the present species in 1859, and is still frequently confused with it even by rather recent sources.

<i>Nemapogon granella</i> Species of moth

Nemapogon granella is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and therein to the subfamily Nemapogoninae. It is the type species of its genus Nemapogon, and via that also of the subfamily Nemapogoninae. It is also the type species of the proposed genera Brosis and Diaphthirusa, which are consequently junior objective synonyms of Nemapogon.

<i>Niditinea fuscella</i> Species of moth

The brown-dotted clothes moth is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It is the type species of its genus Niditinea.

<i>Batia lunaris</i> Species of moth

Batia lunaris, the lesser tawny crescent, is a species of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). It is the type species of the genus Batia, which is sometimes treated as monotypic. But this is not well warranted, as some other species usually placed there differ little from the Lesser Tawny Crescent.

<i>Oecophora bractella</i> Species of moth

Oecophora bractella is a species of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). As the type species of its genus Oecophora, its affiliations and phylogeny determine the delimitation of that family and subfamily.

<i>Esperia oliviella</i> Species of moth

Esperia oliviella is a species of gelechioid moth.

<i>Batia lambdella</i> Species of moth

Batia lambdella is a species of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). The genus Batia is sometimes treated as monotypic, but this seems spurious considering how similar B. lambdella is to the type species B. lunaris.

<i>Borkhausenia minutella</i> Species of moth

Borkhausenia minutella is a species of moth. Within its superfamily, it is placed within the subfamily Oecophorinae of the "concealer moth" family, Oecophoridae.

<i>Alabonia geoffrella</i> Species of moth

Alabonia geoffrella is a species of gelechioid moth. Here, it is placed within the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). Alternatively it has been placed in the Elachistidae or Depressariinae together with its presumed closest relatives.

<i>Pseudatemelia subochreella</i> Species of moth

Pseudatemelia subochreella, the straw-coloured tubic, is a species of gelechioid moth.

<i>Lypusa</i> Genus of moths

Lypusa is a genus of moths of the Lypusidae family, traditionally held to be a monotypic lineage of Tineoidea. However, it may actually belong to the same lineage of Gelechioidea as the Amphisbatinae.

<i>Tinea trinotella</i> Species of moth

Tinea trinotella is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It was once used as type species of a distinct genus Acedes, but this is synonymized today with Tinea, the type genus of Tineinae, Tineidae and the superfamily Tineoidea.

<i>Oecophora</i> Genus of moths

Oecophora is a genus of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). Among these, it belongs to subfamily Oecophorinae. It is the type genus of its subfamily and family. Thus, regardless of the uncertain phylogeny, systematics and taxonomy of its superfamily Gelechioidea, it and its closest relatives always have to be assigned to this family and subfamily as long as these are deemed valid.

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

The Amphisbatinae was a small subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Like their relatives therein, their exact relationships are not yet very well resolved. The present lineage is often included in the Depressariinae as a tribe Amphisbatini, though more often within the context of a "splitting" approach to Gelechioidea systematics and taxonomy, wherein the Depressariinae are elevated to full family rank and the Amphisbatinae are treated as a subfamily therein. An even more extremely split-up layout even treats the Amphisbatinae as full family Amphisbatidae. In the scheme used here, the Amphisbatinae are included in the Oecophoridae as a subfamily alongside the Depressariinae.

<i>Pseudatemelia</i> Genus of moths

Pseudatemelia is a genus of gelechioid moths.

<i>Schiffermuelleria</i> Species of moth

Schiffermuelleria is a genus of gelechioid moths. It is placed in the subfamily Oecophorinae of family Oecophoridae. The genus is treated as monotypic, with the single species Schiffermuelleria schaefferella placed here. As such, its distinctness from the closely related genus Borkhausenia – where S. schaefferella was often placed in the past – is open to debate.

<i>Anchinia</i> Genus of moths

Anchinia is a genus of gelechioid moths.

References

  1. Biolib
  2. Grabe (1942), Pitkin & Jenkins (2004), FE (2009), Kimber [2010], and see references in Savela (2001)
  3. Heikkilä, Maria; Kaila, Lauri (2010). "Reassessment of the enigmatic Lepidopteran family Lypusidae (Lepidoptera: Tineoidea; Gelechioidea)". Systematic Entomology. 35 (1): 71–89. Bibcode:2010SysEn..35...71H. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2009.00483.x.
  4. National Biodiversity Network (NBN) atlas
  5. Lepiforum (in German)
  6. Fauna europaea
  7. Kimber [2010]
  8. Identification of micro-moth families
  9. 1 2 British Lepidoptera
  10. Grabe (1942), Kimber [2010]