Unidentified Microlepidoptera from Dago Pakar
Unidentified Microlepidoptera from Dago Pakar
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Subclass: | Pterygota |
| Infraclass: | Neoptera |
| Superorder: | Endopterygota |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
One beautiful small moth it is, I only got one decent photo of it. The wing color just awesome... it looks like a plume moth.
Thanks to Daniel, Karl, and Trevor from whatsthabug.com, from where I ask for a help to ID this one.
This is our conversation (article):
Me:
Hello Daniel,
I took this one on 2010, beautiful colored fly… but I wonder what is it.
Signature: Mohamad Idham Iskandar
Daniel:
Wow Mohamad,
We don’t even know where to begin with this one, except to eliminate what it is not. We are confident it is not a fly, beetle or orthopteran. Our best guess is that it is some type of moth and some of its features are similar to hymenopterans. We wish you had additional photos. Perhaps one of our readers will provide some information. The antennae are unusual and there appear to be structures associated with the mouthparts that are pointing upwards as well.
Trevor:
Suggests False Plume Moth
Looking at those heavily spiked legs makes me think it may be in false plume moths. These moths are usually small (with wingspans around 1-2 cm/less than 1 inch) and brownish in color. They have large compound eyes, thread-like antennae, and prominent labial palps. The body is slender, and the legs bear large spines.
Daniel:
Thanks Trevor,
We had to do important things unrelated to What’s That Bug? today, and we are satisfied that we did more than expected.
Me:
Thanks alot Daniel and Trevor,
Ahhh… (Bang on the head) I forgot about lepidoptera (scale wing). Just like what Trevor said, yes…it is small, no more than 1,5 cm long.
Sadly after looking in my photo collection from that place 2010, I only have 1 decent looking photo of them.
I only met this guy once, and until now I haven’t met them again.
If I ever met them again, I’ll take more decent photos and inform you …
Karl:
Provides some suggestions
Hi Daniel and Mohamad:
You are quite right Daniel. This is one of those frustratingly difficult Microlepidoptera, a group of tiny moths made up of numerous families and innumerable species. I think it is likely some sort of Concealer Moth in the family Oecophoridae. They are sometimes referred to as wasp mimics, which is in line with your suggested resemblance to a hymenopteran. However, it could also be Cosmet Moth in the family Cosmopterigidae (and there may be other candidate families as well). The prominent upturned facial appendages are its labial palps, a feature that is common to all sixteen or so families of the superfamily Gelechioidea , the Curved Horn Moths, to which the Oecophoridae and Cosmopterigidae both belong. Identifying it any further would require some serious expertise. Regards. Karl
Daniel:
Thanks so much Karl. We will classify it as Microlepidoptera.
and here's the photo...
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| Beautiful microlepidopteran |
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