Asterivora urbana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Asterivora urbana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Choreutidae
Genus:	Asterivora
Species:	A. urbana
Binomial name
Asterivora urbana (Clarke, 1926)
Synonyms
Simaethis urbana C. Clarke, 1926

Asterivora urbana is a unique type of moth found only in New Zealand. It belongs to the Choreutidae family, which are sometimes called "metalmark moths" because of their shiny wing patterns. This small moth was first described by a scientist named Charles C. Clarke in 1926.

What Does Asterivora urbana Look Like?

This moth is quite small, with a wingspan of about 9.5 millimeters. That's less than half an inch! It has some interesting features that help scientists identify it.

Body Features

• Its head is a dark brownish-grey color, with some whitish scales mixed in.
• The main body part (called the thorax) is a shiny bronzy-brown. It has tiny black dots and longer scales.
• The legs are dark brownish-grey and look speckled with whitish spots.
• Its antennae, which are like its feelers, are blackish with grey rings around them.
• The abdomen, which is the back part of its body, is dark brownish-grey. However, the edges of each body segment are grey.

Wing Details

The wings of Asterivora urbana are also very special and have distinct patterns.

Forewings

• The front wings, known as forewings, are a bronzy-brown color.
• They are long and narrow in shape.
• The front edge of the wing (called the costa) is slightly curved near the moth's head.
• The tip of the wing (the apex) is gently rounded.
• The outer edge of the wing (the termen) is also slightly rounded and slopes downwards.
• There is a grey area on the wing that slants inwards. It's easy to see on the bottom side of the wing but harder to spot near the top edge.

Hindwings

• The back wings, or hindwings, are a dark brownish-grey color.
• They are lighter in color closer to the moth's body.

This detailed description helps scientists identify and study this unique New Zealand moth.

Images for kids

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  Illustration of A. urbana by George Hudson.