Pseudophanes melanoptera Turner, 1940
Scientific name: Pseudophanes melanoptera
Similar species:
Amata and other Ctenuchinae
Amata and other Ctenuchinae
Click to enlarge image
Lichen moth (Arctiidae: Lithosiinae)
Image: David Britton
© Australian Museum
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Pseudophanes
- Species
- melanoptera
- Subfamily
- Lithosiinae
- Family
- Arctiidae
- Super Family
- Noctuoidea
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
Lichen moth (Arctiidae: Lithosiinae)
Image: David Britton
© Australian Museum
© Australian Museum
Introduction
This remarkable lichen moth is a close mimic of arctiid moths in the subfamily Ctenuchinae. For a long time the species was only known from the type series which was collected in 1906 by F.P. Dodd. Specimens were recently collected by David Rentz in Kuranda.
Identification
A larger species with elongate dark wings with indistinct black markings in the cell of fore and hind wings. The abdomen and thorax has bright orange annuli (bands) of scales which resemble the markings seen in Amata spp. and other Ctenuchinae. It can be differentiated from these moths by wing venation.
Distribution
Kuranda and Cairns (QLD)
Feeding and diet
Larvae probably feed on lichens
