__NOTOC__ ''Clarkeophlebia'' is an enigmatic and almost-unknown

gelechioid moth __NOTOC__ Gelechioidea (from the type genus ''Gelechia'', "keeping to the ground") is the Taxonomic rank, superfamily of moths that contains the case-bearers, twirler moths, and relatives, also simply called curved-horn moths or gelechioid moths. ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

. It contains a single

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

, ''Clarkeophlebia argentea'', and is apparently

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Fatu Hiva Fatu-Hiva (the "H" is not pronounced, see name section below) is the southernmost island of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. With Motu Nao as its closest neighbor, it is also the m ...

in the

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in th ...

Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...

. It was originally described as ''Acanthophlebia'', but this name had earlier been given to a genus of prong-gilled mayflies. Its relationships are not well determined. While it is superficially similar to the

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

concealer moth Oecophoridae (concealer moths) is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The phylogeny and systematics of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this. ...

Fabiola tecta Fabiola a Spanish and mostly Italian diminutive of the name Fabia, may refer to: People * Queen Fabiola of Belgium (1928-2014) * Saint Fabiola, (fl. 395–399) * Fabiola Letelier (born 1929), Chilean lawyer, human rights activist * Fabiola Gianot ...

'' (which is larger and less colorful), in its anatomical details it seems more similar to '' Adeana leucoxantha'' (another puzzling Polynesian moth) and/or ''

Asymphorodes ''Asymphorodes'' is a gelechioid moth genus in subfamily Agonoxeninae of the palm moth family (Agonoxenidae), whose taxonomic status is disputed. Alternatively, the palm moths might be a subfamily of the grass-miner moth family (Elachistidae) ...

''. However, it is unique in bearing strange spines of unknown function on the wings, at least in the males.Clarke (1986) ''Clarkeophlebia'' is tentatively considered a

cosmet moth The Cosmopterigidae are a family of insects (cosmet moths) in the order Lepidoptera. These are small moths with narrow wings whose tiny larvae feed internally on the leaves, seeds and stems of their host plants. About 1500 species are described ...

(

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Cosmopterigidae) here, but this was thought about ''Asymphorodes'' as well; more recently however the latter genus has been assigned to the

palm moth The Agonoxeninae are a subfamily of moths. History of classification Formerly, the subfamily only contained four named species – all in the type genus ''Agonoxena'' – if (e.g. following Nielsen ''et al.'', 1996). Such a monotypic arr ...

s of the (somewhat disputed) family Agonoxenidae. This may thus be correct for ''Clarkeophlebia'' (and ''Adeana'') too.

Description

''C. argentea'' is a tiny "

micromoth Microlepidoptera (micromoths) is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (micro, Lepidoptera). These generally have wingspans of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to ...

" with a generally hairless and smooth body and a wingspan of only 5 mm in the only known specimen (a male). It is, however, rather colorful and boldly marked by

standards. In its overall coloration it is blackish, with some bright and metallic marks; in the

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

, the underside of each hindwing bears a peculiar spine near the base, and there is a smaller spine at the trailing edge of each forewing; the function of these spines is unknown and they are possibly absent in females. The hindwing spines are large enough to be discernible with a high-quality

magnifying glass A magnifying glass is a convex lens that is used to produce a magnified image of an object. The lens is usually mounted in a frame with a handle. A magnifying glass can be used to focus light, such as to concentrate the sun's radiation to crea ...

already, despite the moth's diminutive size. The medium grey head is covered with a smooth layer of scales and bears a well-developed and very scaly

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

;

ocelli A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-l ...

are absent, and a white stripe runs along the side of the head. The

labial The term ''labial'' originates from '' Labium'' (Latin for "lip"), and is the adjective that describes anything of or related to lips, such as lip-like structures. Thus, it may refer to: * the lips ** In linguistics, a labial consonant ** In zoolog ...

palp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") and ...

s are slim and curve backwards; they reach far beyond the

vertex Vertex, vertices or vertexes may refer to: Science and technology Mathematics and computer science *Vertex (geometry), a point where two or more curves, lines, or edges meet *Vertex (computer graphics), a data structure that describes the position ...

in length, with the third segment being somewhat longer than the second. The latter is grey like the head on the outside, with a white spot near the tip, and silvery towards the midline; the third palp segment is black and bears a white lengthwise stripe. Its black serrated

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

e have grey rings and bear fine hairs, with a comb of short hairs on the scape as is typical for cosmet moths and some relatives; the scape is shorter than the head. The body is smooth, with a black

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

and a

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...

thorax The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the cre ...

; the tegula is likewise brassy. Near the junction of the thorax'

tergite A ''tergum'' (Latin for "the back"; plural ''terga'', associated adjective tergal) is the dorsal ('upper') portion of an arthropod segment other than the head. The anterior edge is called the 'base' and posterior edge is called the 'apex' or 'mar ...

s and

pleura The pulmonary pleurae (''sing.'' pleura) are the two opposing layers of serous membrane overlying the lungs and the inside of the surrounding chest walls. The inner pleura, called the visceral pleura, covers the surface of each lung and dips bet ...

, there is a silver lengthwise line on each side. The 8th

sternite The sternum (pl. "sterna") is the ventral portion of a segment of an arthropod thorax or abdomen. In insects, the sterna are usually single, large sclerites, and external. However, they can sometimes be divided in two or more, in which case the ...

is slightly modified in shape. The

legs A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ...

are glossy, with the fore- and midlegs a smooth and shiny grey except for the black tarsi; the first two tarsus segments are white-tipped. The hindlegs are metallic black, the scaly tibia has a white spot at midpoint and another one at the tip, and two white spots on the tarsi. The straight-margined forewings are fringed with thort hairs and otherwise smooth, lance-shaped and pointed, with an almost straight leading and an oblique outer edge, and have 11 veins. Of these, lb is simple at the base and ends in a broad and shallow pit from which rises a short stout spine. ''C. argentea'' has a vein 1c, and vein 2 runs from the angle of the forewing cell. Veins 3 and 4 run close to the preceding, and are coincident; vein 5 is vestigial. Veins 6 and 7 share a common stalk; the latter runs to the costa and from the stalk veins 8 and 9 also arise. Vein 11 arises slightly beyond the middle of the cell, and vein 10 runs closer to it than to vein 9. The hindwings are likewise narrow, with a hairy fringe, and have an open cell and very much reduced veins; only veins 6 and 7 are clearly discernible, while vein 3 and/or 4 seem to be present (though reduced) too. Vein 6 and 7 arise from a stalk and the latter runs to the wingtip. The aforementioned long spines are located near the underside at the base of each hindwing. The forewing color is mainly black with 4 metallic stripes of silvery-blue or -violet, 2 in each main direction: the first runs along the

proximal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

fourth of the leading edge, the second from the wingbase and almost parallel to the first, extending into the cell for about one-third of the total wing length. The third and fourth silver stripe run from the leading to the trailing edge of the forewing, one through the center of the wing and the last at the outer wing's fourth. Between the first two silver stripes there is an oval patch of brassy scales, separated from the silver by the black background color. The hairy fringe shades from black at the termen to grey at the wingtip. The hindwings are dull reddish-brown and unmarked, with a paler fringe. The male genitalia of ''C. argentea'' are asymmetrical and lack

socius Socius may refer to: * Socii, of the Roman Republic in classical times * a Latin noun meaning "comrade, friend, ally" (adjectival form: ''socialis'') and used to describe a bond or interaction between parties that are friendly, or at least civil; ...

and

uncus The uncus is an anterior extremity of the parahippocampal gyrus. It is separated from the apex of the temporal lobe by a slight fissure called the incisura temporalis (also called rhinal sulcus). Although superficially continuous with the hipp ...

. The

clasper In biology, a clasper is a male anatomical structure found in some groups of animals, used in mating. Male cartilaginous fish have claspers formed from the posterior portion of their pelvic fin which serve to channel semen into the female's c ...

's harpe is broad at the base, with a short and barely constrained neck; the cucullus narrows towards the tip, the brachia are long and curved and expand tipwards, and the tegumen is shorter than wide. The

aedeagus An aedeagus (plural aedeagi) is a reproductive organ of male arthropods through which they secrete sperm from the testes during copulation with a female. It can be thought of as the insect equivalent of a mammal's penis, though the comparison ...

has a slender S-shape; the manica bears a high keel on the upperside. The

microscopic slide A microscope slide is a thin flat piece of glass, typically 75 by 26 mm (3 by 1 inches) and about 1 mm thick, used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. Typically the object is mounted (secured) on the slide, and then b ...

preparation of the

's genitals is specimen

USNM The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. In 2021, with 7. ...

25139. The female genitals are of course still unknown.

Ecology

Essentially nothing is known about this species'

ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

. The

(

100828) was collected on March 11, 1968 at the coastal village of

Omo'a Omo‘a (or Omoa) is the name of a small town and valley at the head of a bay by the same name, on Fatu Hiva. The bay of Omo‘a is the southernmost bay on the western coast of Fatu Hiva, and provides a good anchorage. The village of Omo‘a wa ...

(). There, the

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

is heavily influenced by human activity, and includes plants such as ''

Artocarpus ''Artocarpus'' is a genus of approximately 60 trees and shrubs of Southeast Asian and Pacific origin, belonging to the mulberry family, Moraceae. Most species of ''Artocarpus'' are restricted to Southeast Asia; a few cultivated species are more w ...

'' species,

Papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...

(''Carica papaya''),

Coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

(''Cocos nucifera''),

Sea Hibiscus ''Hibiscus tiliaceus'', commonly known as the sea hibiscus or coast cottonwood, is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae, with a pantropical distribution along coastlines. It has also been introduced to Florida and New Zea ...

(''Hibiscus tiliaceus''), Indian Mango (''Mangifera indica''), ''

Musa Musa may refer to: Places *Mūša, a river in Lithuania and Latvia * Musa, Azerbaijan, a village in Yardymli Rayon * Musa, Iran, a village in Ilam Province *Musa, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran *Musa, Kerman, Iran * Musa, Bukan, West Azerbaijan ...

'' (bananas), Thatch Screwpine (''Pandanus tectorius''), the

paspalum ''Paspalum'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The group is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are tall pere ...

grass '' Paspalum paniculatum'',

Apple Guava ''Psidium guajava'', the common guava, yellow guava, lemon guava, or apple guava is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. It is easily pollinated by insects; when cultivated, it is pollina ...

(''Psidium guajava''),

Tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs ...

(''Tamarindus indica''),

Portia Tree ''Thespesia populnea'', commonly known as the portia tree (), Pacific rosewood, Indian tulip tree, or milo, among other names, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a tree found commonly on coasts ar ...

(''Thespesia populnea''), as well as

Cyperaceae The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' w ...

sedges,

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

es. It is unlikely, however, that these moths use the non-native species as foodplants, and the only known specimen may have been a vagrant from less disturbed habitat higher up Omo'a Valley. There, native plants such as ''

Bidens henryi ''Bidens'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae.''Bidens''.
Flo ...

'', ''

Cheirodendron bastardianum ''Cheirodendron'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. All six species in the genus are Endemism, endemic to Polynesia. The five Hawaiian species are generally called ''ōlapa'', and occur in Hawaiian tropical rainforests#Wet ...

'', ''

Pandanus ''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with some 750 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of species are found in Madagascar and Malaysia. Common names ...

'', and East Polynesian Blueberry (''

Vaccinium cereum ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (who ...

'') are still more plentiful, and it may be that the species'

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

l foodplants are found among these.

Footnotes

References

* (1986): Pyralidae and Microlepidoptera of the Marquesas Archipelago. ''Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology'' 416: 1-485
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(214 MB!) {{Taxonbar, from=Q5127522 Cosmopterigidae Monotypic moth genera Fauna of the Marquesas Islands Moths of Oceania