Ptycerata
Ely, 1910
Species Guides
1Ptycerata is a of gelechiid moths described by Ely in 1910. The sole , Ptycerata busckella, is a small North American with distinctive forewing patterning. It is named in honor of August Busck, a prominent American entomologist.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Ptycerata: //ˌtaɪsəˈreɪtə//
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Identification
Distinguished from other small gelechiid moths by the specific arrangement of three brown spots on creamy white forewings: a medial spot, a basal spot on the fold, and a discal spot at the end. The smoky yellow hindwings and small size (14–15 mm wingspan) further aid identification.
Images
Appearance
have a wingspan of 14–15 mm. The forewings are creamy white with three small, somewhat elongate brown spots: one at the middle of the wing, one on the fold below the first and nearer the base, and one at the end of the . The hindwings are smoky yellow.
Distribution
Recorded from six U.S. states in eastern and midwestern North America: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
More Details
Etymology
The epithet busckella honors August Busck (1860–1944), a Danish-American entomologist who worked extensively on North American Lepidoptera at the United States National Museum.