Carposina morbida facts for kids

The Carposina morbida is a type of moth that belongs to the Carposinidae family. This special moth is found only in New Zealand, which means it is endemic there. You won't find it living naturally anywhere else in the world!

About the Carposina morbida Moth

This unique moth is a fascinating part of New Zealand's wildlife. It was first described in 1912 by a scientist named Edward Meyrick. Moths like Carposina morbida play a role in their ecosystem, just like all living creatures.

What Does This Moth Look Like?

The Carposina morbida moth is fairly small. Its wingspan is about 26 millimeters (mm), which is roughly the length of a standard paperclip.

• Body Color: The head, middle part of its body (thorax), and tail section (abdomen) are a pale, yellowish-white color. It has a small yellowish spot on its "shoulders."
• Forewings: The front wings are long and somewhat narrow. They get a little wider towards the back. These wings are a shiny, silvery-white with yellowish hints. They also have scattered yellowish scales.
• Hindwings: The back wings and the fringe of hairs along the wing edges (cilia) are whitish.
• Underneath: If you look at the underside of both the front and back wings, you'll see they are covered with special pale yellow-orange scales, especially on the front half.

Where Does This Moth Live?

As an endemic species, the Carposina morbida moth lives only in New Zealand. New Zealand is a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is known for its unique plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else. This makes the Carposina morbida moth a special part of New Zealand's natural heritage.

Moth Family Tree

The Carposina morbida moth belongs to the Carposinidae family. In the world of science, living things are grouped into categories to help us understand them better.

• Kingdom: All animals, including this moth, are in the Animalia kingdom.
• Phylum: Moths are Arthropods, which means they have an exoskeleton and jointed legs.
• Class: They are Insects, a large group within arthropods.
• Order: Moths and butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera.
• Family: The Carposina morbida is part of the Carposinidae family, which includes many types of "fruit moths" or "carposinid moths."
• Genus: Within the family, it's in the Carposina genus.
• Species: Finally, its specific name is C. morbida.

This classification helps scientists study and protect different species around the world.