Cosmopteriginae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Gelechioidea
Family: Cosmopterigidae
Subfamily: Cosmopteriginae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cosmopteriginae: /kɒzmɒptəˈrɪdʒɪniː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Cosmopterix gemmiferella P1560173a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Cosmopterix pulchrimella (51341423236) by Ben Sale from Stevenage, UK. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Cosmopterix attenuatella 255238560 by Stephen Thorpe. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Cosmopterix gemmiferella P1560181a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Eralea albalineella by Sam Kieschnick. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Anatrachyntis rileyi 241284385 by Ken Kneidel. Used under a CC0 license.

Summary

Cosmopteriginae is a subfamily of the Cosmopterigidae family, known as cosmet moths, consisting of small moths with approximately 1500 described species, characterized by their narrow wings and ornamental appearance. They primarily inhabit the Australian and Pacific regions and have been known to feed on a variety of host plants.

Physical Characteristics

Small moths with narrow wings.

Identification Tips

Look for the unique wing patterns that can be ornamental in appearance, as the name suggests (derived from Greek).

Habitat

Diverse habitats, typically associated with the leaves, seeds, and stems of host plants.

Distribution

Most diverse in the Australian and Pacific regions, with approximately 780 species identified in these areas.

Diet

Larvae feed internally on the leaves, seeds, and stems of host plants.

Ecosystem Role

Part of the food web; their larvae contribute to plant mortality and affect host plant distribution.