FREAGRA: Ní raibh sé sin éasca – ach tá sé seo moth mór agus álainn a bhí as an Astráil agus tá sé i Xyloryctidae teaghlach (Philarista spp.). Tá dornán de ionadaithe an ghrúpa anseo sna Stáit Aontaithe agus Ted MacRae os a chionn ar Ciaróga sa Bush Tá grianghraif cúpla mór acu. Bhealach I mo thuairimse, fuair muid an deireadh gearr ar an bata mar go sroicheann an teaghlach an bhuaic a éagsúlachta léirigh san Astráil. Tá sé iontach dom go bhfuil an t-ainmhí a bhaineann leis na leamhan bláth beag bídeach liath atá againn!
Bhí Jim Hayden gaire le buille faoi thuairim ar Oecophorid hAstráile – a bhfuil mé grianghraf le haghaidh an tseachtain seo chugainn.
Má tá suim agat i bhfoghlaim níos mó tú faoi an teaghlach dul seiceáil amach an Leamhain Xyloryctine na hAstráile Blag!
An tseachtain seo tá mé ag dul a dhéanamh ar an moth isteach i dúshlán. Cé atá in ann a insint dom cad teaghlach is é seo? Aon takers ar ghéineas / speiceas? Is é mo leid amháin go bhfuil an moth meánmhéide deas hefty thomhas i ag níos mó ná 53mm, agus tá sé ó na bailiúcháin California Acadamh.
Arctiidae?
Nope – although superficially similar to an Arctiinae, it’s not a “macro-lep”. (freisin, Arctiidae now = Arctiinae (Erebidae))
I searched all through Erebidae and didn’t find anything. Dumb me didn’t even consider non-Nearctic!
Australian oecophorid?
Nope, although closer!
Updated with the answer!
This is an interesting moth which is currently included in the genus Philarista as Philarista sp. 1, although it has yet to be properly investigated. Barcoding results suggest that although it superficially resembles Philarista porphyrinella, it is more likely to be a member of the genus Cryptophasa. Like so many Australian moths it has yet to be described or even undergo genital dissection.
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