Tessema sensilis

Last updated

Tessema sensilis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Crambidae
Subfamily: Spilomelinae
Tribe: Margaroniini
Genus: Tessema
J.F.G.Clarke, 1986
Species:
T. sensilis
Binomial name
Tessema sensilis
J.F.G.Clarke, 1986

Tessema sensilis is a little-known moth species, the only member of genus Tessema. It belongs to the grass moth family (Crambidae), and therein to the large subfamily Spilomelinae; at the time of its description, these were still included in subfamily Pyraustinae and the entire Crambidae was then merged with the snout moths (family Pyralidae). While its detailed relationships are undetermined, it may be a close relative of Herpetogramma and/or Pilocrocis . [1]

Contents

Though there is no particular reason to assume it is very rare, this moth is inconspicuous and has in fact only been recorded a single time so far, on January 23, 1968; it took almost 20 years to realize it was a new and distinct animal. It inhabits the island of Nuku Hiva, in the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia, where it may be endemic. The holotype and only specimen (USNM 100735, genitalia on microscopic slide USNM 25220) was collected on Tunoa Ridge about 885 m (2900 ft) ASL, near the scenic lookout at 8°51′25″S140°11′00″W / 8.85694°S 140.18333°W / -8.85694; -140.18333 . [1]

Description and ecology

T. sensilis is a smallish smooth-bodied and notably long-legged moth, mid-sized by grass moth standards with a wingspan of 39 mm in the only known specimen. It is mostly a medium yellowish-brown in color, and in the details closely resembles Herpetogramma fimbrialis , and somewhat less so such species as Palpita cupripennalis [2] and Glyphodes argyritis . [1]

The head is slightly scaly, with a well-developed proboscis and squamiform labial palps, which are white on the underside; the small maxillary palps are simple knobs which project forward. Its greyish antennae have brownish spots at the base and at least in the male are long (almost 2 cm each) and hairy. Between the antenna bases and the compound eyes there is a small crescent of white scales on each side. The tegula has buff scales at the hind end. The abdomen is reddish-grey, but the 8th segment is white in the front part, reddish in the hind part. The end of the abdomen bears a tuft of elongated scales which are buff with reddish tips above, and entirely reddish below. The underside of the body is white. The legs are white at the base, shading to brownish on the femur (forelegs) or tibia (mid- and hindlegs). [1]

The straight-margined forewings have a somewhat drawn-out but blunt tip and 12 veins. Of the latter, lb and 2 are single, 3-5 approach at their base, 5-7 run somewhat parallel and not far apart from each other, 8 and 9 have a long stalk leading to wingtip or leading edge, respectively; the 10th vein anastomoses with the stalks of the preceding two, the 11th attaches to the outer fourth of the wing cell, and the 12th from its base. The hindwings are somewhat angular too, and have 8 veins. Of these, the first two run singly, while 3-5 approach, 6 and 7 join, and 7 and 8 anastomose at their bases. The only mark on the yellowish-brown wings is a short reddish transverse dash at the outer end of the forewing cell. [1]

Altogether, the most conspicuous differences from H. fimbrialis are the markedly shorter legs and antennae of the latter, as well as its white abdominal tuft. In addition, H. fimbrialis has upturned (not squamiform) labial palps and stalked (not anastomosing) hindwing veins 7 and 8. [1]

The male genitalia of T. sensilis are symmetrical and overall only lightly sclerotized (hardened) except for the stout aedeagus, which has a heavily sclerotized rod on the underside. Gnathos and socius are absent. The uncus is slender, curved, dilated, and covered in bristles at the tip. The clasper's harpe is barely sclerotized, forming a ridge on the costa, a narrow stripe on the sacculus, and a curved process emerging from the harpe's center; the cucullus is broadly rounded. The vinculum is broad and truncated, with a bulge in the middle; the tegumen is arched, and the anellus forms a small almost triangular plate with light sclerotized flanges at the hind sides. The female genitalia are of course still unknown. [1]

Ecologically, essentially nothing is known about this species. Its habitat is likely light woodland rich in shrubs, ferns, mosses and lichens, but it may have been a vagrant from more or less densely wooded areas nearby. Plants recorded in or near the presumed habitat are for example Bidens henryi , Cheirodendron bastardianum , Glochidion ramiflorum , Metrosideros collina , Pandanus , and Vaccinium cereum . [1]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Clarke (1986)
  2. "Glyphodes cypripennalis" in Clarke (1986) is a lapsus

Related Research Articles

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

The Blastobasidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Its species can be found almost anywhere in the world, though in some places they are not native but introduced by humans. In some arrangements, these moths are included in the case-bearer family (Coleophoridae) as subfamily Blastobasinae. The Symmocidae are sometimes included in the Blastobasidae as subfamily or tribe.

The Tineodidae or false plume moths are a family of moths with in some cases unusually modified wings: Like in some related moths, the wings of several Tineodidae are decomposed into several rigid spines. This is a small family, with about a global total of 20 species described to date; some undescribed species are known or suspected to exist however. They seem to be of Australian origin, where they are most diverse, but range through the Wallacea to Southeast and South Asia, and into the Pacific to the Marquesas Islands.

Pityocona is a small and little-known genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is believed to belong to subfamily Gelechiinae, but beyond that its relationships are still obscure.

Chrysophyllis is a genus of the grass moth family (Crambidae). It is monotypic, containing the single species Chrysophyllis lucivaga. This moth is very little known, having only been recorded once, before 1935. It belongs to the large grass moth subfamily Spilomelinae; at the time of its description, these were still included in subfamily Pyraustinae and the entire Crambidae was then merged with the snout moths. While its exact relationships are undetermined, it is believed to be a close relative of Talanga. Like these, the male genitalia of C. lucivaga feature a remarkably elongated aedeagus shaped like a bullwhip.

<i>Clepsicosma</i> Genus of moths

Clepsicosma is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae. As at 2022, this genus contains only one described species, Clepsicosma iridia, which is endemic to New Zealand. The species inhabits native forest in the North Island as well as the northern and western parts of the South Island down to Westland. The larval host of this species is assumed to be species of Cutty grass, possibly including Gahnia setifolia and Gahnia xanthocarpa, although the life history of this species is unknown. The adults of C. iridia are on the wing from December until May. They are nocturnal, and are attracted to light. During the day the adults rest on the underside of leaves, including those Cutty grass species that may possibly be their larval hosts.

Eschata is a genus of moths of the family Crambidae.

Marasmianympha is a genus of moths of the grass moth family (Crambidae) described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1991. Its single species, Marasmianympha eupselias, was described by Edward Meyrick in 1929. Among the grass moths, it belongs to subfamily Spilomelinae. It is endemic to the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia, where it has been recorded on Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa and Tahuata, but is suspected to occur on other islands as well. The holotype specimen is in the Natural History Museum, London.

Clarkeophlebia is an enigmatic and almost-unknown gelechioid moth genus. It contains a single species, Clarkeophlebia argentea, and is apparently endemic to Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia. It was originally described as Acanthophlebia, but this name had earlier been given to a genus of prong-gilled mayflies.

Herlinda is a genus of cosmet moths. These moths were only discovered in 1968 and the genus was not described until 1986; its affiliations within the family are presently unknown. This genus, as far as is known, is endemic to the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia, with each species confined to a single island.

Wyoma is a small genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Tineinae. It is probably fairly closely related to the type genus of its family and subfamily, Tinea, and can be most easily separated by the wing venation – in Tinea, two veins in each wing arise from a common stalk, whereas none do in Wyoma.

Phereoeca allutella, the household case-bearing moth, belongs to the subfamily Tineinae of the fungus moth family (Tineidae). It was first described by Hans Rebel in 1892. It is an occasional pest of furs, flannel and similar materials, and has been inadvertently introduced to many places it is not originally native to.

<i>Erechthias simulans</i> Species of moth

Erechthias simulans is a species of fungus moth. It is here considered to belong to the somewhat controversial type genus of its subfamily Erechthiinae, though even fairly recently some authors have proposed to retain other genera such as Decadarchis separate from Erechthias. Decadarchis, with E. simulans as type species, would in fact contain this moth and its closest relatives, regardless whether it is recognized as full genus or as subgenus. These relatives are generally held to be a group of mainly Polynesian species. E. simulans has also been mistaken for a species of the closely related genus Comodica; while the delimitation of this versus Erechthias/Decadarchis is not universally agreed upon, E. simulans is not included in Comodica anymore by modern authors.

<i>Stoeberhinus testaceus</i> Species of moth

Stoeberhinus testaceus, the potato moth, is a gelechioid moth, supposedly the only species of its genus Stoeberhinus. However, the genus might also include some related moths presently placed in Autosticha. It belongs to the subfamily Autostichinae, which is either placed in the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae), or in an expanded Autostichidae.

<i>Diaphania indica</i> Species of moth

Diaphania indica, the cucumber moth or cotton caterpillar, is a widespread but mainly Old World moth species. It belongs to the grass moth family, and therein to the large subfamily Spilomelinae. This moth occurs in many tropical and subtropical regions outside the Americas, though it is native to southern Asia; it is occasionally a significant pest of cucurbits and some other plants.

Epicephala spinula is a moth of the family Gracillariidae, one of the most primitive groups of ditrysian "micromoths". Within its family, it belongs to the subfamily Gracillariinae. Even though it was first scientifically studied in 1929, for many decades the specimens of this moth were mistaken for the related Australian species E. colymbetella, and their distinctness was only realized in 1986. It is found on the Marquesas Islands, where it occurs at least on Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, and Fatu Hiva, and though little-known it is apparently not uncommon. The holotype specimen, a female, is USNM 100839.

Caloptilia insidia is a moth of the family Gracillariidae, one of the most primitive groups of ditrysian "micromoths". Within its family, it belongs to the subfamily Gracillariinae. It is apparently endemic to Fatu Hiva and Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. It is very similar to C. deltanthes. The species does not seem to be common, and no females appear to have been encountered yet.

<i>Proserpinus gaurae</i> Species of moth

Proserpinus gaurae, the proud sphinx moth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. It is found from Texas and Louisiana east to northern Florida, north to Alabama, Missouri, northern Georgia and South Carolina. It may range as far south as northern Mexico.

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

The Phycitinae are a subfamily of snout moths. Even though the Pyralidae subfamilies are all quite diverse, Phycitinae stand out even by standards of their family: with over 600 genera considered valid and more than 4000 species placed here at present, they unite up more than three-quarters of living snout moth diversity. Together with the closely related Epipaschiinae, they are apparently the most advanced lineage of snout moths.

<i>Phycita</i> Genus of moths

Phycita is a genus of small moths belonging to the snout moth family (Pyralidae). They are the type genus of their tribe Phycitini and of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae.

<i>Orenaia alpestralis</i> Species of moth

Orenaia alpestralis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae.

References