Periploca hostiata Hodges 1969

Periploca hostiata

A small, shining, gray-black species. Head, thorax, and forewing shining gray black; tongue yellow white; shaft of antenna yellow white overlaid with black; hind wing yellow white; cilia slightly gray. Legs pale yellow gray basally, gray black distally, apices of segments pale. Alar expanse: 8.3 mm. Male genitalia: as in Figure 7 (RWH slide 4459). Costal margin of valva incurved at two-thirds length, apex sharply acute; apex of aedeagus with a short, dorsal flange, a series of small triangular projections ventrolaterally at three-fourths, others dorsally beyond one-half; posterior margin of vinculum truncate. Female genitalia: no specimens available.

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

HOLOTYPE.—Male, 2.5 mi W Ft. Simcoe, Yakima County, Washington, 31 July 1962, J. F. G. Clarke (RWH slide 4459). USNM Type 69791.

Periploca hostiata is nearest gleditschiaeella in characters of the valva and vinculum. It may easily be separated from the latter, however, by having gray-black scales and an armed aedeagus.

Periploca hostiata is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It was described by Ronald W. Hodges in 1969. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded in Washington, California and Arizona.

The wingspan is about 8.3 mm. The head, thorax and forewings are shining gray black. The hindwings are yellow white. Adults have been recorded on wing in July.