Trois mâles de Catapterix crimaea Zagulajev & Sinev, 1988, ont été découverts en France méridionale, espèce méconnue seulement citée de Crimée, appartenant à la petite famille des Acanthopteroctetidae (famille nouvelle pour la France) dans la superfamille des Neopseustoidea (superfamille nouvelle pour la France). Catapterix crimaea est la seuleespèce paléarctique connue des Acanthopteroctetidae. Three males of Catapterix crimaea Zagulajev & Sinev, 1988, were discovered in southern France. This little known species, belonging to the family Acanthopteroctetidae (new family for France), superfamily Neopseustoidea (new superfamily for France) was previously only recorded from the Crimea. Catapterix crimaea is the only known Palearctic species of the Acanthopteroctetidae. The small moths (5,5-6,5 mm wingspan) with their golden scales, head with erect hairscales, short tongue, long mandibular palps resemble some Nepticulidae, Heliozelidae or icropterigidae. Other characters include a single spur on the mid tibia (as in Eriocraniidae), and a single frenular bristle. The female and biology are unknown.

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Revue de l’Association Roussillonnaise d’Entomologie
Staff publications

Nel, J., Varenne, T., & van Nieukerken, E. (2016). Découverte en France d’un lépidoptère "primitif", Catapterix crimaea Zagulajev & Sinev, 1988 (Lepidoptera, Neopseustoidea, Acanthopteroctetidae). Revue de l’Association Roussillonnaise d’Entomologie, XXV(3), 153–156.