Tasmantrix fragilis
Encyclopedia
Tasmantrix fragilis is a moth
of the Micropterigidae
family. It is known from eastern Australia
, where it is known only from a single locality in the Shoalhaven catchment in New South Wales
.
The forewing length is 2.7 mm for males. The forewing has strong purplish-bronze reflections. There are two shining white fasciae, the first is a prominent subcostal streak in the middle of the wing, spanning nearly one third of the wing length, it is contiguous with the white dorsum of the head above the eyes when at rest and with softly rounded distal end. The second is a strong transverse, slightly sinuous band at mid-length, inclined towards the apex as it approaches the termen and varying in width from almost parallel-sided to hourglass-shaped or even in two discrete parts when the centre portion is missing. There are some indistinct white patches on the apical quarter of the wing, each comprising only a few scales. The fringes are black and white-tipped. The hindwing is dark brownish-black with purple reflections. The fringes are dark brownish-black.
genus.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Micropterigidae
Micropterigidae
Micropterigoidea is the superfamily of "mandibulate archaic moths", all placed in the single family Micropterigidae, containing currently about 20 living genera. They are considered the most primitive extant lineage of Lepidoptera ....
family. It is known from eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where it is known only from a single locality in the Shoalhaven catchment in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The forewing length is 2.7 mm for males. The forewing has strong purplish-bronze reflections. There are two shining white fasciae, the first is a prominent subcostal streak in the middle of the wing, spanning nearly one third of the wing length, it is contiguous with the white dorsum of the head above the eyes when at rest and with softly rounded distal end. The second is a strong transverse, slightly sinuous band at mid-length, inclined towards the apex as it approaches the termen and varying in width from almost parallel-sided to hourglass-shaped or even in two discrete parts when the centre portion is missing. There are some indistinct white patches on the apical quarter of the wing, each comprising only a few scales. The fringes are black and white-tipped. The hindwing is dark brownish-black with purple reflections. The fringes are dark brownish-black.
Etymology
The species name is derived from Latin fragilis (fragile) and refers to the delicate form of this species, which is the smallest species of the TasmantrixTasmantrix
Tasmantrix is a genus of small primitive metallic moths in the Micropterigidae family.-Species:*Tasmantrix calliplaca *Tasmantrix fragilis Gibbs, 2010*Tasmantrix lunaris Gibbs, 2010*Tasmantrix nigrocornis Gibbs, 2010...
genus.