Animal Species:Chrysomesia lophoptera Turner, 1940
Chrysomesia lophoptera is a species in one of several genera of lichen moths from tropical northern Queensland that are boldly patterned with gold. This is the only described species in the genus in Australia.
Lithosiinae Chrysomesia lophoptera male
D. Britton
© Australian Museum
Identification
This species has a large single gold area in the basal area of the wing with purplish-brown wing tips. The wing tips of the fore and hind wings are rounded. Other species have more than one gold area on the forewing, or have more angular wing tips.
Similar Species
Species in Heterallactis, Lichenoptera and Parascaptia
Distribution
Northern Queensland
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Chrysomesia lophoptera specimens from the Australian Museum database
Habitat
Montane and coastal rainforest
Feeding and Diet
Larvae probably feed on lichen
Classification
- Species:
- lophoptera
- Genus:
- Chrysomesia
- Subfamily:
- Lithosiinae
- Family:
- Arctiidae
- Superfamily:
- Noctuoidea
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Class:
- Insecta
- Phylum:
- Arthropoda
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Dr
Dave Britton
, Collection Manager, Entomology
Last Updated:
Tags Lichen moth, Lithosiinae,
