Epicephala anthophilia

Epicephala anthophilia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Infraorder:	Heteroneura
Family:	Gracillariidae
Genus:	Epicephala
Species:	E. anthophilia
Binomial name
	Epicephala anthophilia; Kawakita A, Kato M, 2016

Epicephala anthophilia is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is found on a few islands with high elevation in the Ryukyu Archipelago (Amami Island and Okinawa Island). The host plant, Glochidion acuminatum is distributed throughout Southeast Asia from southern Japan to India, so this species is likely to be found in other parts of the host plant's range.

A: female actively depositing pollen on Glochidion acuminatum female flower; B: ovipositing through stylar pit of G. acuminatum flower

The wingspan is 9.2–11 mm. The forewings are brown with a narrow white band on the dorsum from the base to two-thirds of the entire length. There are three pairs of white bands beginning at the costal and dorsal margins near 1/2 to three-fourths length of the wing and extending obliquely toward the wing apex, terminating before reaching mid-width of the wing. There is a narrow silver band with metallic reflection extending from the costa to the dorsum at five-sixths length and the distal one-sixth is orange-brown with a black dot centrally, franked by a short white spot or band near the costa and dorsum. The distal end fringed with a narrow white band. The hindwings are brown.

The larvae feed on the seeds of Glochidion acuminatum.

Etymology

The species name refers to the fact that flower-visiting behavior of Epicephala was first found in this species and is derived from Latin antho- (meaning flower) and -philia (meaning love, affection).[1]

References

Revision of the Japanese species of Epicephala Meyrick with descriptions of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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[1] Revision of the Japanese species of Epicephala Meyrick with descriptions of seven new species (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.