Xylorycta sp.(genus)

A Xyloryctine moth at Guerilla Bay, NSW

Request use of media

Identification history

Xylorycta sp.(genus)	28 May 2019	jb2602
Xylorycta sp.(genus)	9 Mar 2019	ibaird
Unidentified	9 Mar 2019	jb2602

Identify this sighting

Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Ocrasa acerasta; O. albioalis;

1 comment

ibaird wrote:

10 Mar 2019

The prominent, upturned and recurved palpi suggest Gelechioidea rather than Pyralidae or Crambidae to me. I had thought Eochris genus in Oecophoridae looked likely however the palps looked too long and black tipped whereas this in this specimen the palps are shorter and white tipped and there is a distinct alignment in change of palpi colour with the underside of the body and legs (i.e. a warm orange colouration. These features seem to match a Xylorictine moth, for example see Xyloricta argentella or X. assimilis on LBH. There are many species in the Xylorycta genus however and specimens seems quite variable within a species. However a specimen labelled X. argentella photographed by Victor Fazio on the ALA looks very close to this specimen, see https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:78fa1b71-2806-4aae-83d8-2014dec07f99#gallery even down to a faint terminal orange colouration on the forewing tips which is quite obvious in this specimen. Therefore my conclusion is that it is probably a moth in the genus Xylorycta, quite likely Xyloricta argentella. Victo Fazio's record was also from a coastal NSW location. Xyloryctine moths are strongly associated with Proteaceae plant species.

Please Login or Register to comment.