Micropterix gaudiella

Micropterix gaudiella
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Micropterigidae
Genus: Micropterix
Species: M. gaudiella
Binomial name
Micropterix gaudiella
Zeller & Huemer, 2015

Micropterix gaudiella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It was described by Zeller and Huemer in 2015. It is only known from the mountain Pizzo Arera (Alpi Orobie) in Lombardy (Italy) from an elevation of about 1,600 meters. The habitat consists of southern exposed slopes on limestone.

Adult resting on a flower of a Rosa species

The forewing length is 3.5–3.9 mm for males and 4–4.4 mm for females. The forewings are dull bluish with conspicuously broad and mostly bronzy golden markings, consisting of a trapeziform fascia at one-fourth, and at 1/2 a moderately broad straight fascia runs across the whole wing width, inwardly oblique. At three-fourths, a broad, variably shaped, inwardly convex fascia is found. The fringe is bronzy golden, basally bluish violet. The hindwings are bronzy golden, apically tinged purplish. The fringe is bronzy golden. Adults have been recorded on wing from the end of June to mid-July. Adults have been found congregating on Rosa species and feeding on its pollen.

Etymology

The species name is derived from the Latin gaudium (meaning fun, pleasure, happiness).[1]

References

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