Acalyptris trifidus

Acalyptris trifidus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Acalyptris
Species:
A. trifidus
Binomial name
Acalyptris trifidus
Puplesis & Robinson, 2000

Acalyptris trifidus is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. Formally described by Rimantas Puplesis and Gaden S. Robinson in 2000, it is endemic to Belize. It is known from the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District. It is a small species, with males having a wingspan of 5.1–5.4 mm (0.20–0.21 in) and a forewing length of 2–2.4 mm (0.08–0.09 in).

Taxonomy

Acalyptris trifidus was formally described in 2000 by Rimantas Puplesis and Gaden S. Robinson based on an adult male specimen collected from the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District of Belize.[1] It is part of the A. trifidus species group within the genus.[2]

Description

Acalyptris trifidus is a small species, with males having a wingspan of 5.1–5.4 mm (0.20–0.21 in) and a forewing length of 2–2.4 mm (0.08–0.09 in). The forewing is cream with brownish-black postmedian fascia. The cilia of the forewing are cream and the undersurface is cream-brown. The hindwing is cream-brown with cream cilia. The thorax and tegulae are cream-coloured. The abdomen is purely cream in colour. The head has cream-coloured palps and an extremely light yellowish-cream frontal tuft. The legs are cream-coloured and the antennae are ochre with a cream wash.[1]

Distribution

Acalyptris trifidus is endemic to Belize, where it is known from the Las Cuevas Biological Station in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District.[1] The caterpillars of this moth feed on Lonchocarpus lineatus.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Puplesis, Rimantas; Robinson, Gaden S. (2000). "A review of the Central and South American Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) with special reference to Belize". Bulletin of The Natural History Museum Entomology Series. 69: 3–114.
  2. 1 2 Stonis, Jonas R.; DišKus, ArūNas; DišKus, ArūNas; Remeikis, Andrius; Vargas, Sergio A.; Solis, M. Alma (2020-03-06). "Diagnostics and updated catalogue of Acalyptris Meyrick, the second largest genus of Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in the Americas". Zootaxa. 4748 (2). doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4748.2.1. ISSN 1175-5334.