| Urodeta acinacella | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Elachistidae |
| Genus: | Urodeta |
| Species: | U. acinacella |
| Binomial name | |
| Urodeta acinacella J. De Prins & Sruoga, 2012 | |
Urodeta acinacella is a moth of the family Elachistidae first described by Jurate De Prins and Virginijus Sruoga in 2012.[1] It is found in South Africa, where it has been recorded from the Tswaing Crater Reserve in Gauteng.
The wingspan is 5.6–6.5 mm. The forewings are mottled with scales, basally whitish and distally ranging from pale brown to blackish brown. Blackish-brown scales form a spot on the fold before the middle of the wing, and there is another small spot at two-thirds from the base of the wing. The hindwings are brownish grey. Adults have been recorded on wing in November.
Etymology
The specific name refers to the shape of the signum and is derived from Latin acinaces (meaning short sword, short saber, scimitar).[2]
Taxonomy
It took almost 150 years to identify more species of this once single-species genus, in addition to the main species U. hibernella. Kaila moved six Afrotropical species that were formerly connected to Phthinostoma Meyrick and Perittia Stainton to Urodeta in a thorough study on Australian Elachistinae. Following Elachista, Urodeta is now the second most diverse genus of Elachistinae in the Afrotropics as a result of current research findings. We present three newly discovered Urodeta species from South Africa in this paper.
References
- ↑ De Prins, J. & De Prins, W. (2019). "Urodeta acinacella Sruoga & De Prins, 2012". Afromoths. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ↑ De Prins, J., & Sruoga, V. (2012). "A review of the taxonomic history and biodiversity of the genus Urodeta (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae: Elachistinae), with description of new species." Zootaxa, 3488(1), 41-62.