Brenthia leptocosma

Brenthia leptocosma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Choreutidae
Genus: Brenthia
Species: B. leptocosma
Binomial name
Brenthia leptocosma
Meyrick, 1916[1]

Brenthia leptocosma is a species of moth of the Choreutidae family. It is found in Mauritius.

This species has a wingspan of 8–9 mm, the head is bronzy-fuscous with a white line above the eyes. The thorax is bronzy-fuscous with 5 fine white ongitudinal lines. The abdomen is dark fuscous. Forewings are elongate-triangular, costa gently arched, dark bronzy-fuscous, irregularly irrorated with white and white dots on costa beyond. There is a series of 8 small rounded-oblong spots round apex and termen, each centered with a violet-metallic dot. The hindwings are rather dark-fuscous, with a small oblique-oval whitish spot in the middle of the disc, a fine violet-blue-metallic line just before termen from apex to below middle, followed by 3 or 4 black spots.

This species is similar to Brenthia cyanaula in markings, but palpi are quite different and characteristic.[2]

Hostplants of this species are Boraginaceae bushes, (mainly Cordia macrostachya but also Cordia myxa, Cordia abyssinica and Cordia holstii).[3] None of this species is native to Mauritius.

References

  1. "Afro Moths". Afro Moths. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
  2. Meyrick, E. 1916a. Exotic Microlepidoptera 1. - 1(16–20): page 560.
  3. Williams J.R., 1951, The bionomics and morphology of Brenthia leptocosma Meyrick