Elhamma australasiae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hepialidae
Genus: Elhamma
Species:
E. australasiae
Binomial name
Elhamma australasiae
(Walker, 1856)
Synonyms
  • Hepialus australasiae Walker, 1856
  • Porina banghaasii Pfitzner, 1914
  • Elhamma inconcluso Walker, 1856

Elhamma australasiae is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is found along the eastern seaboard of Australia.[1][2]

Description

Adults of E. australasiae can be recognised by a small, sharp tuft of piliform (hairlike) scales protruding horizontally from the base of the antennal scape over the eye. Females (forewing length 18.9–38.8 mm) are larger than males (12.7–20.8 mm), and have forewings that are longer and narrower.[3]

The adult moths are mostly brown save for the hindwings and the basal part of the abdomen, which are salmon pink. However, these colours fade rapidly after death. The forewings have scattered dark flecks and, in males, a silvery-white streak.[4]

When females lay eggs, the initial eggs are white in colour. Later eggs are brown and then black.[5]

Larvae are initially buff (light brownish yellow) with brown heads, then become dark brown all over.[5]

Pupae are about 40 mm long and 6 mm in diameter. They are pale brown with darker chitinizations at the anterior end, and each segment has two dorsal rows and one ventral row of tiny serrations. When ready to emerge, the colours of the adult are visible.[4]

Biology

Little is known about the biology of this species. Larvae are suspected to feed on roots of grasses.[2][6] Adults fly from early January to early May, being most common in February and March.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Nielsen, Ebbe S.; Robinson, Gaden S.; Wagner, David L. (2000). "Ghost-moths of the world: a global inventory and bibliography of the Exoporia (Mnesarchaeoidea and Hepialoidea) (Lepidoptera )" (PDF). Journal of Natural History. 34 (6): 823–878. doi:10.1080/002229300299282. S2CID 86004391.
  2. 1 2 "Australian Faunal Directory". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  3. 1 2 Simonsen, Thomas J. (2015-05-05). "Elhamma Walker (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) revisited: adult morphology, assessment of recently proposed synonyms and descriptions of two species". Zootaxa. 3955 (3): 301–328. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3955.3.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 25947855.
  4. 1 2 "Revision of the Australian ghost moths (Lepidoptera Homoneura, family Hepialidae). Part III". Records of the South Australian Museum. 5: 275–332. 1935.
  5. 1 2 "Elhamma australasiae". lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  6. ↑ Common, IFB (1990). Moths of Australia. Melbourne: CSIRO Pub. ISBN 978-0-643-10122-7. OCLC 700699384.
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