Biology:Venezuelan poodle moth

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Short description: Unidentified moth species
External image
Venezuelan poodle moth image from Dr. Arthur Anker's Flickr

The Venezuelan poodle moth is an as-yet unidentified species of moth photographed in 2009 by Kyrgyzstani zoologist Dr. Arthur Anker[1] in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela.[2] Anker initially captioned his photo as "Poodle moth, Venezuela",[3] naming it after its resemblance to a poodle.[citation needed]

Classification

Anker hypothesized it could be a member of the genus Artace, namely the species Artace cribraria.[4]

Dr. John E. Rawlins from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History concurred with the Artace classification:

Here’s my vote/guess to ID the poodle moth. The antenna is distinctive. "Lasiocampidae: Artace or a related genus, probably not Artace cribraria (presumably North America to Argentina, but nobody has revised this group from Mexico south). There are more than a dozen described South American species of Artace, but their delimitation, validity, and even their generic placement is uncertain. It will take two things to solve this problem: a comprehensive revision of Artace and kin, plus an actual specimen of a genuine “Venezuelan poodle moth.”[2]

The moth is often confused online with images of the domestic silk moth (Bombyx mori), which is native to China .[5] Cryptozoologist Karl Shuker noted the Venezuelan poodle moth has a superficial resemblance to the muslin moth (Diaphora mendica),[2] a tiger moth from Eurasia.

Measurements derived from Dr. Anker's photographs show the moth to be about 1 in (2.5 cm) in length.[citation needed] The unusual appearance and dearth of actual information on the moth has led to it being compared to famous animal hoaxes.[6][2] Subsequent expeditions to the region have been unable to spot the moth again.[citation needed]

Habitat

The photographs were taken in the Canaima National Park of Venezuela. The region includes diverse habitat types, including moist forest and high rock plateaus known as tepuis.

References