Varius (genus)
Encyclopedia
Varius is a genus of moth
s of the Nepticulidae
family. It contains only one species, Varius ochnicola, which is found in South Africa
.
It appears to resemble Enteucha
in various ways, such as the shape of the valva and uncus, the absence of a transverse bar of the transtilla and possibly the thickening in the aedeagus.
The larvae feed on Ochna pulchra
. They probably mine
the leaves of their host.
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...
s of the Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae is a family of very small moths with a worldwide distribution. They are characterised by eyecaps over the eyes . These pigmy moths or midget moths, as they are commonly known, include the smallest of all living moths, with a wingspan that can be as little as 3 mm...
family. It contains only one species, Varius ochnicola, which is found in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
It appears to resemble Enteucha
Enteucha
Enteucha is a genus of moths of the Nepticulidae family.-Species:*Enteucha acetosae *Enteucha acuta Puplesis & Diškus, 2002*Enteucha basidactyla *Enteucha contracolorea Puplesis & Robinson, 2000...
in various ways, such as the shape of the valva and uncus, the absence of a transverse bar of the transtilla and possibly the thickening in the aedeagus.
The larvae feed on Ochna pulchra
Ochna pulchra
Ochna pulchra, also known as Lekkerbreek , is a small deciduous southern African tree up to 5 m, commonly found on deep sandy soil and rocky slopes, and belonging to the tropical family of Ochnaceae, which is widespread in Asia and Africa.Its bark is distinctive, peeling in thin flakes to expose...
. They probably mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host.