Geraldocossus
Geraldocossus is a monotypic genus of moths in the Politzariellinae subfamily of the carpenter miller moths.[1] Its sole species, Geraldocossus durrelli, is found in Cameroon.[2] It is solely known from two male specimens.[2]
Geraldocossus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Cossidae |
Genus: | Geraldocossus Yakovlev & Sáfián, 2016[1] |
Species: | G. durrelli |
Binomial name | |
Geraldocossus durrelli Yakovlev & Sáfián, 2016[1] | |
Description
Geraldocossus durrelli is of medium size, with a forewing length of 15 mm. Its short and wide forewings are darkly coloured with a faint pattern and have rounded apices and mottled black and brown fringes. The hindwings are an unpatterned dark grey with a uniformly grey fringe. The underside of the forewings is black, that of the hindwings is grey; both hold no patterns. The thorax and abdomen are covered with dark scales, brown in case of the thorax and black on the abdomen. Antennae are simple.[2]
G. durrelli can be distinguished from other species in the Politzariellinae subfamily based on male genitalia, from which it differs by the presence of needle-like spines at the apices of the gnathos branches and by the complicated juxta-structure which includes three pairs of lateral processes.[2]
Distribution
G. durrelli is known solely from Mount Cameroon, where both known specimens were collected on the south-western slope at an altitude of 1100 m above sea level, in the submontane zone.[2]
Etymology
Both the generic and specific name are in honour of Gerald Durrell.[2]
References
- "Geraldocossus | AfroMoths". www.afromoths.net. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- Yakovlev, R. V.; Sáfián, S. (26 May 2016). "Geraldocossus gen. nov. (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Mount Cameroon (West Africa)". Zootaxa. 4114 (5): 595–599. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4114.5.8. PMID 27395152. Retrieved 8 March 2017.