''Emmiltis'' is a
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
genus in the family
Geometridae. Its only species is ''Emmiltis pygmaearia''. Both the genus and species were
first described by
Jacob Hübner
Jacob Hübner (20 June 1761 – 13 September 1826, in Augsburg) was a German entomologist. He was the author of ''Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge'' (1796–1805), a founding work of entomology.
Scientific career
Hübner was the author of '' ...
, the genus in 1825 and the species in 1809.
Etymology
The species name ''pygmaearia'' comes from the Latin ''pygmaeus'' meaning ''dwarf'', because it is one of the smallest species.
Distribution and habitat
''Emmiltis pygmaearia'' is present in southeastern Europe (
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
). This xerothermophil species mainly occurs in dry, grassy, low-growing areas on stony ground, at an elevation up to above sea level.
[
]
Description
''Emmiltis pygmaearia'' can reach a wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...
of about . The basic color of these uncommon small moths varies from light brown to ocher, The forewings and the hindwings are crossed by three whitish wavy lines, with a darker border. Along the fringed checkered edge of the wings runs a thin line of brown. In this species the sexes are dimorphic. In fact in the males only the antennae are comb-like and it is much more evident the brown area near the internal corner of the rear wings.Gdoremi.altervista
Biology
This species has two generations a year ( biivoltine). Adults are active during the day in May-June and in July-August. In Summer caterpillars feed on flowers of lower plants (mainly and Caryophyllaceae
Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...
) ('' Cerastium tomentosum'', '' Lotus corniculatus'', '' Ononis spinosa'', ''Stellaria holostea
''Rabelera holostea'', known as greater stitchwort, greater starwort, and addersmeat, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It was formerly placed in the genus ''Stellaria'', as ''Stellaria holostea'', but was t ...
'', ''Stellaria media
''Stellaria media'', chickweed, is an annual and perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae.Fernald, M. L. 1950. “Gray's Manual of Botany”. Eight Edition. American Book Company, New York, NY. 1632 pp. It is native to Euras ...
'', '' Taraxacum officinale''). From autumn they hibernate on dry leaves of the host plants and after overwintering they live on the withered leaves.[ Pieris]
[Euroleps]
External links
Lepiforum
* Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfil
Bibliography
*Hübner, J. 790-1833 Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge 5: pl. 1-113.
References
Sterrhini
Monotypic moth genera
{{Sterrhinae-stub