Gelechioidea - Species A (I. 9042) (after Jarzembowski, 1980)

About the Image:
Left image and center image taken by J. Sohn, 2009.
Right image from Jarzembowski, 1980, page 266.

About the Specimen:
From Jarzembowski, 1980: The single specimen consists of a ventral impression of the body, incomplete hindwings and part of the right forewing. The last shows portions of Sc and R, the latter with two well-spaced branches. Hindwing: moderately wide, Sc + R1 and Rs sinuous and preserved in the left wing only; CuA preserved in both wings, CuP prominent, anal area broad, angular (Jarzembowski, 1980, pg. 269).

Additional Remarks:
From Jarzembowski, 1980: Although the fossil is rather fragmentary, the hindwing form and venation resemble some extant gelechiids including Agnippe sp. (Brues, Melander & Carpenter 1954: fig. 421), Parachronistis albiceps (Zeller) (Spuler 1913: fig. 123) and Polyhymno luteostrigella Chambers (Forbes 1923: 256). It is tentatively referred to the Gelechioidea. The superfamily has a cosmopolitan distribution; the larvae are usually phytophagous (Jarzembowski, 1980, pg. 269).

Location:
Bembridge Marls, Isle of Wight (southern England), Oligocene

British Museum (Natural History), P. B. Brodie Collection

CITATION(S):

Jarzembowski, E. A. 1980. Fossil insects from the Bembridge Marls, Palaeogene of the Isle of Wight, southern England. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) 33(4): 237-293, text-fig. 1-77.