Biology:Exelastis montischristi

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of plume moth

Exelastis montischristi
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pterophoridae
Genus: Exelastis
Species:
E. montischristi
Binomial name
Exelastis montischristi
(Walsingham, 1897)
Synonyms
  • Pterophorus montischristi Walsingham, 1897
  • Pterophorus cervinicolor Barnes & McDunnough, 1913

Exelastis montischristi is a species of moth in the genus Exelastis known from Hispaniola,[1] Ecuador, Grenada, Jamaica, Martinique, the Virgin Islands,[2] Florida and Texas .[3] It has also been recorded from Tanzania.[4]

Adults take flight in January, July and August, and have a wingspan of about 16 millimetres.[5] The forewings are light grayish brown with mixed beige scales and some scattered dark brown scales and the hindwings are uniformly dark grayish brown with somewhat lighter fringes.[6]

Its host plant is Rhynchosia minima. The larvae are mostly found on small seedling plants and only rarely on mats of older vines. Final instar larvae are about 9 mm long and light green with a dark green middorsal line and raised ivory longitudinal ridges.[7]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q5419972 entry