Lesson plan
Setomorpha
Setomorpha is a monotypic genus of moth in the family Tineidae described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1852. Its only species, Setomorpha rutella, the tropical tobacco moth, was described by the same author in the same year. It is a widely spread species that has been distributed by commerce over much of the warmer parts of Africa, Eurasia, Malaysia, Australia, many Pacific islands and North and South America. The wingspan is 9–22 mm. Adults are brown and speckled with dark brown or black. The larvae feed on dried goods, cereals, grain, rice, nuts, seeds and other dry vegetable matter. It is a pest of dried tobacco leaves in some regions and it has been reported as a pest of dried insect specimens. Full-grown larvae are about 17 mm long, cylindrical, dirty white and skin transparent. The head is red brown. The larva pupates in a closely woven and smooth cocoon within a loosely spun outer framework or outer cocoon, to which particles of food and excrement adhere.
Article summary
Setomorpha is a monotypic genus of moth in the family Tineidae described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1852. Its only species, Setomorpha rutella, the tropical tobacco moth, was described by the same author in the same year. It is a widely spread species that has been distributed by commerce over much of the warmer parts of Africa, Eurasia, Malaysia, Australia, many Pacific islands and North and South America. The wingspan is 9–22 mm. Adults are brown and speckled with dark brown or black. The larvae feed on dried goods, cereals, grain, rice, nuts, seeds and other dry vegetable matter. It is a pest of dried tobacco leaves in some regions and it has been reported as a pest of dried insect specimens. Full-grown larvae are about 17 mm long, cylindrical, dirty white and skin transparent. The head is red brown. The larva pupates in a closely woven and smooth cocoon within a loosely spun outer framework or outer cocoon, to which particles of food and excrement adhere.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.