Biology:Coleophora pyrrhulipennella

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of moth

Coleophora pyrrhulipennella
Coleophora pyrrhulipennella, North Wales, May 2011 (18847487084).jpg
Coleophora pyrrhulipennella North Wales
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Coleophoridae
Genus: Coleophora
Species:
C. pyrrhulipennella
Binomial name
Coleophora pyrrhulipennella
Zeller, 1839[1]

Coleophora pyrrhulipennella is a moth of the family Coleophoridae found in Europe. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839.

Description

The wingspan is 11–14 mm. Coleophora species have narrow blunt to pointed forewings and a weakly defined tornus. The hindwings are narrow-elongate and very long-fringed. The upper surfaces have neither a discal spot nor transverse lines. Each abdomen segment of the abdomen has paired patches of tiny spines which show through the scales. The resting position is horizontal with the front end raised and the cilia give the hind tip a frayed and upturned look if the wings are rolled around the body. C. pyrrhulipennella characteristics include head light bronzy-grey, whitish-mixed. Antennae white, ringed with fuscous, basal joint with light ochreous-greyish tuft. Forewings brownish-ochreous, lighter dorsally ; a costal streak, one in disc from middle, one along fold, and one along dorsum shining white. Hindwings grey.[2] Only reliably identified by dissection and microscopic examination of the genitalia.

Adults are on wing in June and July.[3]

The larvae feed on heather (Calluna vulgaris), tree heath (Erica arborea), bell heather (Erica cinerea), Erica manipuliflora and crossed-leaf heath (Erica tetralix). They create a shining black, bivalved sheath case of about 9 mm long with a mouth angle of about 20°.[4] Full-grown larvae can be found in mid May. The pupa is formed in the larval case, which is attached to the tip of a shoot.

Distribution

The moth is found from Fennoscandia to the Mediterranean and from Ireland and Portugal to Romania and Crete.

References

External links

Sprig of heather with larval case attached
Larva
Genitalia preparation

Wikidata ☰ Q5144215 entry