Genus Aristotelia

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Pink-washed Aristotelia - Aristotelia roseosuffusella

Baccharis halimifolia leaftier - Aristotelia ivae

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Gelechioidea (Twirler Moths and kin)

Family Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)

Subfamily Anomologinae

Genus Aristotelia

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Aristotelia Hübner, 1825 (1)

Formerly in tribe Gelechiini. (2)

Explanation of Names

Generic epithet presumably for the Greek philosopher.

Numbers

There are 39 named species of Aristotelia in America north of Mexico (2).

Identification

Adult - distinctive, nearly all have similar, ornate forewing pattern consisting of brown to redish or black ground with a series of parallel pale, often silvery streaks obliquely from the costa and opposite spots along the dorsal margin. The posterior half is reddish, pink, lavender, or yellow(3)

Range

Represented throughout United States and southern Canada.

Food

Well known species are food plant specialists, and diverse hosts are used - Salicaceae, Solanaceae, Rosaceae, Fagaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae.(3)

Remarks

Aristotelia is also a genus of plants in the Elaeocarpus family (Elaeocarpaceae).

Print References

Hübner, J., 1825. Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge, p.424.

Internet References

pinned adult images of 28 species by SangMi Lee (Moth Photographers Group)

Works Cited

1.	A revision of the American moths of the family Gelechiidae, with descriptions of new species August Busck. 1903. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 25: 767-938.

2.	Checklist of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) in America North of Mexico Lee S., Hodges R.W., Brown R.L. 2009. Zootaxa 2231: 1–39.

3.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

Contributed by tom murray on 20 June, 2005 - 9:53pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Maury Heiman, Ron M., Randy Hardy, Kyhl Austin
Last updated 10 October, 2019 - 2:48am

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