''Prodoxus tamaulipellus'' is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Prodoxidae The Prodoxidae are a family of moths, generally small in size and nondescript in appearance. They include species of moderate pest status, such as the Lampronia capitella, currant shoot borer, and others of considerable ecological and evolutiona ...

. It is found in thorn scrub interspersed with grasslands in the Tamaulipan biotic province which spans the borders of the southern United States and northern Mexico. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

is 8.4-11.1 mm for males and 9.4-12.5 for females. The forewings are white with speckles of brown along the costa and a dark brown discal spot. The hindwings are gray, but darker along the outer edge., 2006: Phylogeny and life history evolution of Prodoxus yucca moths (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae). ''Systematic Entomology'' 31: 1-20. Adults are on wing from late February to early March. The larvae feed on ''

Yucca treculeana ''Yucca treculeana'' Carrière is a plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to Texas, New Mexico and Coahuila. Common names include Spanish dagger, Spanish bayonet and Don Quixote's lance. ''Yucca treculeana'' is a large, tree-like species up ...

'' and ''

Yucca filifera ''Yucca filifera'' is a member of the subfamily Agavaceae, family Asparagaceae, native to central Mexico. History It was discovered in 1840 in northeastern Mexico between Saltillo and Parras () on 19 May 1847 by merchant and explorer Josia ...

''. They feed in a gallery inside the fruit wall of developing fruit of their host. Larval cohorts of the species emerge as adults over at least two years even when artificial winter and water is provided.

Etymology

The species is named for the Tamaulipan biotic province, which contains the known sites for the species.

References

Moths described in 2005 Prodoxidae {{Incurvarioidea-stub