Ceratophaga vastella

Ceratophaga vastella, the horn moth, belongs to the clothes moth family Tineidae and is noted for its larva's ability to feed on keratin from the horns and hooves of dead ungulates, and occasionally on dried fruit or mushrooms. Keratin, a protein which makes up skin, hair, nails and feathers, is extremely resistant to proteolysis by the enzymes from specialised micro-organisms such as fungi and bacteria.

Ceratophaga vastella is widespread in the Afrotropical realm. Thus far there are 16 described species in the genus, with 12 found in Africa, three in Asia and one, C. vicinella, from the Americas, which feeds on the shells of Gopherus polyphemus, a tortoise from the southeastern United States, but also feeds on the horns of cattle in the US.

Larvae are cream-coloured and thick-set, with brown head and tip of abdomen. Usually the larval cases are noticed on the surface of old horns. The adult moth is a typical tineid, having a conspicuous tuft of yellow hair on the head. Other Tineidae share C. vastella's diet of keratin, dried animal hides and wool - C. ethadopa (Meyr.), Monopis rejectella (Wlk.), Tinea pellionella and Tineola bisselliella.

The entomologist Thomas de Grey (1843–1919) suggested that the larvae of this species may occasionally be found in the horns of living animals.

Mr. Haliday made some remarks on two pairs of antelope's horns, exhibited to the meeting by J. M. Neligan, M.D. These horns belonging, one pair to Oreas canna (pi.