Elachista thallophora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elachista thallophora |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Elachistidae
|
| Genus: |
Elachista
|
| Species: |
E. thallophora
|
| Binomial name | |
| Elachista thallophora Meyrick, 1889
|
|
Meet the Elachista thallophora! This tiny moth belongs to a family of moths called Elachistidae. A scientist named Edward Meyrick first described it in 1889. You can only find this special moth in New Zealand.
Contents
What Does the Elachista thallophora Look Like?
This moth is quite small. Its wingspan is usually between 8 and 15 millimeters. That's about the size of a small coin!
Forewings: Pearly White Patterns
The front wings, called forewings, are a beautiful pearly white color. They have interesting patterns made of ochreous-brown stripes.
- One stripe starts near the base of the wing's front edge.
- Another stripe starts from the middle of the wing's base.
- These two stripes meet near the end of the wing.
- There's also a brown stripe along the inner edge of the wing.
Differences Between Males and Females
Male Elachista thallophora moths have slightly different markings. Their brown stripes are often:
- Thicker
- Darker
- More spread out or blended
Also, the back half of the male's front wing edge is often blended with brown color.
Hindwings: Simple Grey
The back wings, called hindwings, are a simple grey color. They don't have the same detailed patterns as the forewings.
Where Does This Moth Live?
The Elachista thallophora moth is special because it is endemic to New Zealand. This means it naturally lives only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world!
