Cosmopterix metis
Encyclopedia
Cosmopterix metis is a moth
of the Cosmopterigidae
family. It is known from Brazil
(Distrito Federal).
Adults have been recorded in July.
Male. Forewing length 3.7 mm. Head: frons shining grey, in middle a shining white streak, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with some reddish reflection, laterally lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined brown laterally, extreme apex white; scape dorsally dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally white, antenna shining dark brown with a white interrupted line from base to two-fifths with a short uninterrupted section at base, two indistinct subapical greyish rings of two segments each, separated by two dark brown segments at three-quarters, apical part of eighteen segments greyish brown. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss. Legs: shining dark brown, femur of hindleg shining golden, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one and two, segment four with a white apical ring, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with silvery white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one, two and four with white apical rings, segment five dorsally white, tibia of hindleg with a silvery metallic basal streak, silvery metallic medial and subapical rings, and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three with white apical rings and segment four and five entirely white, spurs dark brown, apically lighter. Forewing with basal one-sixth shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, remaining part shining dark brown with reddish gloss, at one-fifth three short silver metallic streaks with bluish reflection, a subcostal, a medial just above fold and slightly further from base than the subcostal and a subdorsal, slightly further from base than the medial, a tubercular silver metallic fascia with greenish and purplish reflections in the middle, perpendicular on dorsum and with a large square bronze brown spot on dorsum on the outside, at two-thirds a tubercular silver metallic dorsal spot with bluish reflection, at three-quarters a tubercular pale golden costal spot, smaller than the dorsal spot, edged by a narrow white costal streak, apical line as a short silver metallic streak with bluish reflection in the middle of the apical area and a broad white spot in the cilia at apex, cilia dark brown, paler on dorsum towards base. Hindwing shining dark greyish brown, cilia dark brown. Underside: forewing shining dark greyish brown with the white costal streak and apical spot distinctly visible, hindwing greyish brown. Abdomen dorsally shining pale ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, laterally with golden and greenish reflections, ventrally shining dark brown, segments broadly banded shining white posteriorly, anal tuft greyish-brown.
, a moon of Jupiter
. To be treated as a noun in apposition.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Cosmopterigidae
Cosmopterigidae
Cosmopterigidae is a family of insects in the Lepidoptera order. These are small moths with narrow wings whose tiny larvae feed internally on the leaves, seeds, stems, etc of their host plants. There are about 1,500 described species...
family. It is known from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(Distrito Federal).
Adults have been recorded in July.
Description
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
Male. Forewing length 3.7 mm. Head: frons shining grey, in middle a shining white streak, vertex and neck tufts shining bronze brown with some reddish reflection, laterally lined white, collar shining bronze brown; labial palpus first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined brown laterally, extreme apex white; scape dorsally dark brown with a white anterior line, ventrally white, antenna shining dark brown with a white interrupted line from base to two-fifths with a short uninterrupted section at base, two indistinct subapical greyish rings of two segments each, separated by two dark brown segments at three-quarters, apical part of eighteen segments greyish brown. Thorax and tegulae shining bronze brown with reddish gloss. Legs: shining dark brown, femur of hindleg shining golden, foreleg with a white line on tibia and tarsal segments one and two, segment four with a white apical ring, segment five entirely white, tibia of midleg with silvery white oblique basal and medial lines and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one, two and four with white apical rings, segment five dorsally white, tibia of hindleg with a silvery metallic basal streak, silvery metallic medial and subapical rings, and a white apical ring, tarsal segments one to three with white apical rings and segment four and five entirely white, spurs dark brown, apically lighter. Forewing with basal one-sixth shining bronze brown with reddish gloss, remaining part shining dark brown with reddish gloss, at one-fifth three short silver metallic streaks with bluish reflection, a subcostal, a medial just above fold and slightly further from base than the subcostal and a subdorsal, slightly further from base than the medial, a tubercular silver metallic fascia with greenish and purplish reflections in the middle, perpendicular on dorsum and with a large square bronze brown spot on dorsum on the outside, at two-thirds a tubercular silver metallic dorsal spot with bluish reflection, at three-quarters a tubercular pale golden costal spot, smaller than the dorsal spot, edged by a narrow white costal streak, apical line as a short silver metallic streak with bluish reflection in the middle of the apical area and a broad white spot in the cilia at apex, cilia dark brown, paler on dorsum towards base. Hindwing shining dark greyish brown, cilia dark brown. Underside: forewing shining dark greyish brown with the white costal streak and apical spot distinctly visible, hindwing greyish brown. Abdomen dorsally shining pale ochreous-brown with reddish gloss, laterally with golden and greenish reflections, ventrally shining dark brown, segments broadly banded shining white posteriorly, anal tuft greyish-brown.
Etymology
The species is named after MetisMetis (moon)
Metis , also known as ', is the innermost moon of Jupiter. It was discovered in 1979 in images taken by Voyager 1, and was named in 1983 after the first wife of Zeus, Metis...
, a moon of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
. To be treated as a noun in apposition.