British Insects: the Families of Lepidoptera


L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz


Eupistidae, Augasmidae.

Adults relatively long-bodied; relatively slender-bodied (wingspan more than 15 times the thoracic width) to medium built (wingspan more than 8 and less than 15 times the thoracic width); wings in repose packed with the forewings directed backwards to cover hindwings and abdomen.

Head smooth. Antennae of medium length to very long; extending to about 0.7–1.5 times the length of the forewing. Antennae of males simple; non-ciliate. The antennal scape with a pecten (at least, “with a scale-tuft”); not forming an ‘eye cap’. Ocelli absent. Chaetosemata absent (?). Maxillary palps much reduced (minute); 2 segmented. Labial palps porrect to ascending (fairly long, curved); 3 segmented. Proboscis fully developed; scaly towards the base.

Wingspan 8–18(–21) mm; 13–19 times the thoracic width. Forewings narrow; 3.6–9.2 times as long as wide. Tornus weakly defined to undetectable. Forewings apically blunt to pointed; predominantly shining-metallic, or neither shining-metallic nor with shining metallic markings (plain, consistently lacking transverse markings). Hindwings narrow-elongate and very long-fringed; linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; very much narrower than the forewings to similar in breadth to the forewings; with a pointed apex. The fringe of the hindwings 3–6 times the width of the membrane. The upper surfaces plain; with neither discal spot nor transverse lines; hindwings with a frenulum.

Neuration of forewings and hindwings dissimilar. Forewings 9 veined, or 10 veined, or 11 veined (lacking veins 5, 8 and sometimes also 4 or 3 and 4); with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the forewings comprising 1b and 1c. Forewings exhibiting a tubular vein 1c (distally). Vein 1b of the forewings furcate proximally. The transverse vein complete. Discal cell of the forewings without a tubular media (M) vein. Hindwings 7–9 veined; with 1 anal vein, or with 2 anal veins. The anal veins of the hindwings representing 1b only, or comprising 1a and 1b. Hindwings exhibiting vein 1a, or lacking vein 1a; theoretically lacking a tubular vein 1c; with a discal cell to without a discal cell. The transverse vein incomplete to lacking. When cell present, 4 veins arising from the hindwing cell, or 5 veins arising from the hindwing cell (with vein 4 usually absent, sometimes also vein 5). The cell-derived hindwing veins 6+7 proximally joined. Vein 8 of the hindwings when cell present, completely independent of the cell; not approximating to vein 7.

Fore-legs with a tibial epiphysis. Tibiae of middle legs 2-spurred. Posterior tibiae 4-spurred; not hairy.

Eggs, larvae and pupae. Eggs smooth or minutely pitted (?). Larval prolegs 2, or 4–8. Larvae case-bearing (invariably, sometimes boring into the leaf or fruit to which it is attached); concealed feeders (mining when young, subsequently living in a portable case). On divers Dicot trees, shrubs and herbs, and a few on Gramineae, Cyperaceae and Juncaceae.

Pupae concealed; above the ground. Empty pupae not becoming protruded.

British representation. Genera 4; about 100 species (1 adventive). Coleophora alcyonipennella (Frisch's Case-moth, Clover Case-moth), Coleophora laricella (Larch Case-moth), etc.

Classification. Microlepidoptera. Suborder Ditrysia. Superfamily Gelechioidea.

Comments. Antennae porrect in repose.

Illustrations. • Coleophora albicosta (White-edged Unicorn): B. Ent. 687. • Coleophora albicosta: B. Ent. 687, legend+text. • Coleophora albicosta: B. Ent. 687, text cont.. • Coleophora alcyonipennella (Clover Case-bearer: B. Ent. 463). • Coleophora alcyonipennella: B. Ent. 463, legend+text. • Coleophora alcyonipennella: B. Ent. 463, text cont.. • Coleophora mayrella: Stephens IV, 1834. • Coleophora trifolii (Curtis): Trefoil Thick-horned Tinea. B. Ent. 391). • Coleophora trifolii: B. Ent. 391, legend+text). • Coleophora trifolii: B. Ent. 391, text cont.). • Augasma aeratella (as Asychna): Stainton 12, IV (1870). • Stainton 12, IV, 2 (1870): original legend.. • Coleophora juncicolella, C. laricella, C. siccifolia: Stainton 4, I (1859). • Stainton 4, I (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora gryphipennella, C. milvipennis (as limosipennella), C. solitariella: Stainton 4, II (1859). • Stainton 4, II (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora ornatipennella (mainland-European), C. lixella, C. galbulipennella (as otitae): Stainton 4, III (1859). • Stainton 4, III (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora currucipennella, C. ibipennella, C. anatipennella: Stainton 4, IV (1859). • Stainton 4, IV (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora discordella, C. genistae, C. serenella (mainland- European): Stainton 4, V (1859). • Stainton 4, V (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora caespititiella, C. obscenella (as virgaureae), C. silenella (as inflatae): Stainton 4, VI (1859). • Stainton 4, VI (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora pennella (as onosmella), C. lineolea, C. pyrrhulipennella: Stainton 4, VII (1859). • Stainton 4, VII (1859): original legend.. • Coleophora albicosta, C. chamaedryella (mainland-European), C. lugduniella (mainland-European): Stainton 4, VIII (1859). • Stainton 4, VIII (1859): original legend.. • Coleophophora vibicella, C. conspicuella, C. coelebipennella: Stainton 5, IX (1860). • Stainton 5, IX (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora otidipennella (as murinipennella), C. argentula, C. artemisicolella (as albicans): Stainton 5, X (1860). • Stainton 5, X (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora gnaphalii and C. millefolii (mainland-European), C. hemerobiella: Stainton 5, XI (1860). • Stainton 5, XI (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora ochripennella (mainland-European), C. chalcogrammella, C. vitisella: Stainton 5, XII (1860). • Stainton 5, XII (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora ochrea, C. wockella, C. ditella (or pseudoditella? - mainland-European): Stainton 5, XIII (1860). • Stainton 5, XIII (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora virgatella, C. auricella, C. serratulella (all mainland-European): Stainton 5, XIV (1860). • Stainton 5, XIV (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora trifariella and C. odorariella (mainland-European), C. paripennella (as alcyopennella): Stainton 5, XV (1860). • Stainton 5, XV (1860): original legend.. • Coleophophora lusciniaepennella (as viminetella), C. violacea (as paripennella), C. ledi (mainland-European): Stainton 5, XVI (1860). • Stainton 5, XVI (1860): original legend. • Coleophora vibicella: Stainton (1859). • Stainton's representative 'Tineina' (1854). • Larvae of 'Tineina' (Stainton). • Coleophora anatipennella: Kirby 55. • Coleophora onosmella: neuration.

To view illustrations with legends giving names in current use, go to the interactive key. This also offers full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa, as well as source references and other relevant material.

Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the families of Lepidoptera. Version: 29th December 2011.’.