Ypsolopha arizonella

Distinguished from similar Ypsolopha species by the combination of light brown forewing ground color heavily overlaid with deep brown and dark purple scales on the costal three fourths, leaving the dorsal edge relatively clear. The silvery fuscous hindwings and dark purplish fuscous legs provide additional diagnostic characters. The specific pattern of labial palpi scaling—light brown inside, strongly mottled blackish outside—may aid identification.

Wingspan approximately 22 mm. Antennae dark brown. Labial palpi light brown on the inside, strongly mottled with blackish scales on the outside; tuft on the second joint small, terminal joint thickened with rough scales anteriorly. Head and thorax light ochreous brown. Forewings with ground color rather light brown, thickly overlaid on the costal three fourths with deep brown and dark purple scales that obscure the ground color except along the dorsal edge. Hindwings silvery fuscous. Legs dark purplish fuscous.

Known from the United States, specifically from Arizona. The species name reflects its type locality.

As a member of Ypsolophidae, adults may exhibit the family-characteristic resting posture with body inverted and antennae stretched forward, though this has not been specifically documented for Y. arizonella. Larval behavior unknown for this species; other Ypsolopha larvae typically live solitary on host plants and feed within webs.

• Other Ypsolopha speciesShare family-level characteristics including similar wing venation and resting posture; distinguished by specific forewing coloration pattern and scale overlay described for Y. arizonella

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
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