487. 



COCHLEOPHASIA TESSELLEA. 



The pale chequered brown Moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Tineidas. 

 Type of the Genus, Capillaria tessellea Haw. 



CocHLEOPHASiA Cuvt. — Capillaria Haw. 



Antennce inserted on the crown of the head close to the eyes, 

 rather short, setaceous and ciliated internally in the male (1). 

 Maxillce none ? 



Labial palpi rather drooping, divaricating and slender in the 

 male, sparingly clothed with scales, which project considerably 

 beyond the apex (4), triarticulate, joints nearly equal, 2nd a 

 little the longest, terminal one subelliptic (4 «). 

 Male. — Head rather broad, very looolly and tufted on the crown (7) : 

 eyes remote, small, very prominent and globose : ocelli 2, very di- 

 stinct and considerably removed from the eyes (7*). Tliorax small 

 and globose. Abdomen short and sometvhat conical in the male. 

 Wings rather large and obtuse (9 superior wing to show the neura- 

 tion), cilia long and thick. Thighs short : tibiae, anterior very short 

 with a small spine terminated in a pencil of scales on the inside, the 

 others with very long spurs at the apex, the posterior having an ad- 

 ditional pair below the middle : tarsi long and 5-Jointed, basal joint 

 the longest : claws and pulvilli minute. 

 Female (Jig. 9). — Antennae as long as the thorax, capillary, composed 

 of many small joints, basal joint the stoutest. Legs short and simple : 

 tarsi 5-jointed : claws distinct, hooked and acute: abdomen rather 

 stout, the 2 last joints but one densely clothed with wool : ovipositor 

 exserted. 

 I^arvse living in an elongated case (P) in which they change to a brown 

 Pupa obtuse at both ends. 



Tessellea Haw. — tesserella Curt. Guide, Gen. 1001. 1. 



Male. Fuscous shining ochreous, front and crown of head with 

 a long ochreous tuft ; superior wings mottled with ochre : legs 

 pale ochreous ; thighs dark lead colour, 4 anterior tarsi blackish 

 above, the apex of the joints whitish. 



Female. Pitchy or castaneous, the membranous parts dirty 

 white : head and thorax shining : base of antennae, tibiae and 

 tarsi shining ochreous : tuft of wool towards the apex of abdo- 

 men mouse colour. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



There are numerous instances, even amongst our British 

 Lepidoptera, of female Moths having rudiments only of wings, 

 but very few that are so perfectly apterous as the females of 

 Cochleophasia, which I have so called from its carrying a case 

 that at a little distance looks like a Clausilia and other land 

 shells when walking. Tliese cases are inhabited by the cater- 

 pillar and pupa, but appear to be deserted by both sexes of 

 the perfect insect. I have repeatedly found the cases and bred 



