Chrysopeleia purpuriella Chambers 1874

Chrysopeleia purpuriella Chambers

Chrysopeleia purpuriella Chambers.—Hodges, 1964, p. 315.

Males of purpuriella can be identified by examination of the abdomen without resorting to genitalic preparation. The modified scales of the eighth abdominal sternite are easily visible.

RECORDS.—Arkansas: Devil’s Den, 10 ♂ ♂, 10 ♀ ♀, 1–19 July 1966. Maryland: Plummers Island, 2 ♀ ♀, 20 July 1962.

Examination of male genitalia of additional Stilbosis species has shown that Aeaea and Stilbosis are very close if not the same. The character of the saccular margin of the valva being heavily sclerotized is good for some but not all species of Stilbosis. An extremely obvious difference is the nature of the scales: Stilbosis has metallic scales that are shades of yellow and brown; Aeaea has scales that are dull gray-black and white. Differences in the nature of the scales are usually not important enough to separate genera; however, until I have had the opportunity to study the numerous Neotropical representatives of Stilbosis, I prefer to maintain the two genera as distinct.

Chrysopeleia purpuriella is a moth that belongs to family Cosmopterigidae and to the superfamily Gelechioidea. It was described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1874. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, New York and Ohio.