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Photo#531886
Micromoth - Cosmopterix minutella

Micromoth - Cosmopterix minutella
Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA
June 19, 2011

Keys out very nicely to C. minutella using Koster's key
However, it has only been reported from Florida, so this move should be considered tentative. Do you remember approximately how long it was? Moved from Cosmopterix.

 
Respectfully disagree. = C. dapifera
I follow this example through Koster's key and get to dapifera pretty straightforwardly. The wing pattern details he relies on are minute. The pattern of coloration of the distal antennal segments (used by Hodges in his MONA fascicle) seem to rule out C. minutella which should have "four [apical] segments of the antenna white preceded by three brown segments, [the next four segments alternating white and brown]", etc. Given that minutella is heretofore only be recited from Florida and the very similar dapifera is known to range to Texas (and beyond), I rather suspect this should be placed in the latter species.

 
Hmmm
I think I probably can't give a good estimate now. But cool, I'll keep an eye out for more, for measurements and collection. Thanks for the (tent.) ID.

Moved
Moved from Moths.

Cosmopterix
But there are several very close. Great photo!

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