Siskiwitia alticolans Hodges 1969

Siskiwitia alticolans

A minute, shining black (forewing with a white bar) species. Head: shining metallic silver and yellow silver at certain angles of light incidence, otherwise nearly black; tongue pale yellow. Thorax and forewing black, shining dark bronze at some angles of light incidence, individual scales with nonlustrous margins, a transverse, white band at two-thirds length of wing. Hind wing shining dark gray. Legs: (not all present) shining dark gray to black, apex of hind tibia and all of tibial spurs white. Alar expanse: 6 mm. Male genitalia: as in Figure 19 (RWH slide 4423). Valva somewhat triangular, a moderately heavy sclerotized, slender lobe from costal margin at two-thirds length of valva, costal margin swollen, saccular margin nearly straight; aedeagus concave dorsally; uncus stout, pointed, heavily sclerotized. Female genitalia: no specimens available.

FOOD PLANT.—Unknown.

HOLOTYPE.—Male, Arizona, Santa Cruz County, Madera Canyon, 5,100 ft, Bog Spring Camp Ground, Santa Rita Mts., July 10–26, 1964, D. R. Davis (RWH slide 4423, wing slide 111). USNM Type 69786.

Siskiwitia alticolans looks like a small Periploca that has a white, transverse band on the forewing.

Siskiwitia alticolans 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 from Arizona and Texas.

The wingspan is about 6 mm (0.24 in). The thorax and forewings are black with a transverse, white band at two-thirds length of the wing. The hindwings are shining dark gray. Adults have been recorded on wing in July and August.