Mesoligia furuncula
| Mesoligia furuncula | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Mesoligia |
| Species: | M. furuncula |
| Binomial name | |
| Mesoligia furuncula (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) | |
Mesoligia furuncula, the cloaked minor, is a moth of the family Noctuoidea. It is found in the Palearctic realm (Europe, northwest Africa, Russia, Siberia, Japan, north Iran, Afghanistan, and China (Qinghai and Shaanxi).
Description
The wingspan is 22–28 mm. The length of the forewings is 10–12 mm. The typical form has the forewing sharply demarcated between a pale distal field and a rufous basal field. The colour and pattern is highly variable and furuncula may look like a lot of the species in the genus Oligia which can be separated by from all but Mesoligia literosa by details of the genitalia. A study of the genitalia of European and Asian specimens of the two Mesoligia species literosa Haworth and furuncula Denis & Schiffermüller showed however that there is no significant intra-specific variation, in these two closely related Oligia species.[1]
Biology
The moth flies in one generation from late June to mid September [2].
The larvae feed on various grasses such as Tufted Hair-grass, Festuca ovina, and Arrhenatherum elatius.[2]
Notes
- ^ The flight season refers to Belgium and The Netherlands. This may vary in other parts of the range.
References
- ^ von L. Rezbanyai-Reser Genitalmorphologische Befunde mittaxonomischen Bemerkungen bei Mesoligia literosa Haw. und furuncula D. & Sch. in Europa und in Asien, sowie weitere Angaben zu den asiatischen Oligia-Arten (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Entomologische Berichte Luzern 40 (1998): S. 109-142 [1]
- ^ "Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni & L. M. Hernández, 2010. HOSTS – A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London".
External links
- Cloaked Minor at UKmoths
- Funet Taxonomy
- Lepiforum.de Includes photograph of genitalia
- Vlindernet.nl (in Dutch)