Biology:Plectophila discalis

Short description: Species of moth

Plectophila discalis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Xyloryctidae
Genus:	Plectophila
Species:	P. discalis
Binomial name
Plectophila discalis (Walker, 1865)
Synonyms
Acontia discalis Walker, 1865 Lichenaula oxygona Lucas, 1895 Lichenaula inscripta Turner, 1898 Lichenaula ombralota Lower, 1901

Plectophila discalis is a moth of the family Xyloryctidae first described by Francis Walker in 1865. It is found in Australia , where it has been recorded from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

The wingspan is 20–25 mm. The forewings are white, in females with a light fuscous suffusion forming a cloudy fascia, its outer edge distinct and rectangularly angulated in the middle, from three-fifths of the costa to the inner margin before the anal angle, and occupying the entire dorsal two-thirds of the wing from the base up to this, except a cloudy white spot below the middle, sometimes sprinkled with dark fuscous longitudinally in the disc, and on the posterior margin of the fascia. In males, these markings are largely reduced or nearly obsolete, showing only partial indications of the posterior fascia and a small spot on the fold before middle. There is an irregular suffused fuscous streak along the hindmargin, the hindmarginal edge dark fuscous. The hindwings are pale whitish ochreous grey, the terminal half suffused with rather dark grey, the extreme apex whitish ochreous.

The larvae feed on Syncarpia glomulifera, Eucalyptus scabra, Cryptocarya glaucescens and Hibiscus tiliaceus. They feed from within a shelter of tied leaves.

References

Wikidata ☰ Q3021261 entry