plume moths
(Geina spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview |
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Geina is a genus of small plume moths. It occurs in Europe and North America. In the United States, it is common east of the Great Plains, and there are scattered occurrences in the west. There are 6 Geina species worldwide, 4 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 3 species in Minnesota. Adults rest with their wings spread out at right angles, in a T-shaped profile, like an airplane. |
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Description |
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Geina are micromoths (Microlepidoptera), which is an artificial grouping of moths with a wingspan less than ¾″ (20 mm). The wings are deeply cleft near the end. The inner margins have a fringe of long, hair-like scales. The flaps (tegulae) covering the wing bases are brown. They do not have creamy-white scales near the tip. The forewings are narrow and yellowish brown, tawny brown, or chocolate brown. There is no R1 vein. The wingtips are divided into two lobes. The lobes do not have long, white, longitudinal lines above. The first lobe, the one at the wing leading edge (costal margin), is equal in width or only slightly widened from the base to well beyond the middle. The second lobe is broad. It has a well-developed outer margin and lower outer angle (anal angle). The anal angle has a pronounced, wide group of long, dark, linear, scales on the fringe. The hindwings have three lobes. The third lobe has a dark scale tooth near the tip on both the costal and inner margins. It does not have pronounced individual white scales at the base. The fourth segment (tibia) of the hind legs has a pair of long spurs at the base and another pair at the tip. There is a tuft of long, rough scales at the base of the spurs. |
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Distribution |
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| 12/28/2023 | ||||
Taxonomy |
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Order |
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) | ||
Superfamily |
Pterophoroidea (plume moths and allies) | ||
Family |
Pterophoridae (plume moths) | ||
Subfamily |
Pterophorinae | ||
Tribe |
Oxyptilini | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Busk’s plume moth (Geina buscki) grape plume moth (Geina periscelidactylus) Himmelman’s plume moth (Geina tenuidactylus) plume moth (Geina didactyla) plume moth (Geina integumentum) Sheppard’s plume moth (Geina sheppardi) |
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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This genus has no common name. The common name of the family Pterophoridae is plume moths, and it is used here for convenience. |
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Glossary
Costal margin
The leading edge of the forewing of insects.
Linear
Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.
Tegula
A small, hardened, plate, scale, or flap-like structure that overlaps the base of the forewing of insects in the orders Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Homoptera. Plural: tegulae.
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Babette Kis |
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Geina sp. plume moth Geina sp. plume moth, Barnes Prairie at the hedgerow, Racine Co., WI. Photographed on June 29, 2020. |
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| Babette Kis 6/6/2018 |
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI Geina sp. plume moth, Barnes Prairie at the hedgerow, Racine Co., WI. Photographed on June 29, 2020. |
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Created: 12/28/2023
Last Updated: