Pectinivalva brevipalpa
Pectinivalva brevipalpa is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is found in New South Wales.
| Pectinivalva brevipalpa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female | |
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nepticulidae |
| Genus: | Pectinivalva |
| Species: | P. brevipalpa |
| Binomial name | |
| Pectinivalva brevipalpa Hoare, 2013 | |
The wingspan is 4.3–5.9 mm for males and 4.3–5.2 mm for females. Two-thirds of the forewings is dark fuscous with purplish reflections, there is a shining silver to pale golden fascia at 2/3. The apex of the wing is dark fuscous without reflections. The hindwings are grey.[1]
The larvae feed on Tristaniopsis collina. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts as a very long narrow gallery either filled with greenish frass or with black linear frass. It broadens rather abruptly into a gallery with a central line of black frass. The exit-hole is located on the upperside and has the form of a semicircular slit. Pupation takes place in a reddish-brown cocoon.
Etymology
The specific name is derived from the Latin brevis (meaning short) and palpus (meaning the sensitive palm of the hand) and refers to the reduced, 2-segmented labial palpi of the adult male.
References
