Alice Springs Fauna •

Alice Springs Moths | Alice Springs Moths Index

Ophiusa parcemacula, commonly known as the Owlet Moth (Atlas of Living Australia) and Figure Eight Moth (iNaturalistAU), is also know less commonly as the Fruit-piercing Moth. The common name Figure Eight Moth is based on the “figure eight shape”, although it is also described as a dark brown/black comma mark on the middle of the forewings. The moth has a wingspan of about 60 mm. The larvae are known to feed on Loranthaceae (mistletoe) and Melaleuca quinquenervia (Broad-leaved Paperbark).

Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT

Found in New Guinea, New Caledonia and Australia. Atlas of Living Australia have observations in the eastern part of Australia, Central Australia, Top End, Victoria, South Australia and various locations in Western Australia.

Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT
Ophiusa parcemacula (Owlet Moth / Figure Eight Moth), Alice Springs NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Unranked: Ditrysia
  • Superfamily: Noctuoidea
  • Family: Erebidae
  • Subfamily: Erebinae
  • Tribe: Ophiusini
  • Genus: Ophiusa
  • Species: Ophiusa parcemacula


Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks to Bjørn M Fjellstad for ID, member of Butterflies, Moths and other Invertebrates of Australia, https://www.facebook.com/groups/170745013686340/
  2. Ophiusa parcemacula (T.P. Lucas, 1891), Owlet Moth, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/4f8a4899-77c3-4386-aadd-91cd264bb032
  3. Figure Eight Moth (Ophiusa parcemacula), ausemade, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/212198816

Alice Springs MothsAedia leucomelas (Sweet Potato Leaf Worm) Agrotis munda (Brown Cutworm Moth) Australian Striped Hawk Moth (Hyles livornicoides) Bag-shelter Moth & Processionary Caterpillar Carpenter Moth (Endoxyla cinereus) Chasmina pulchra (White Beauty) Cleora (Geometer Moth) Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) Cossid Moth (Endoxyla leucomochla) Dasypodia selenophora (Southern Old Lady Moth) Diatenes gerula (Erebid Moth) Dichromodes sp (Geometer Moth) Endoxyla Moth (family Cossidae) Gelechioid Moth Godart’s Hawkmoth (Agrius godarti) Helicoverpa punctigera (Australian Fruitworm) Laced Day-Moth (Ipanica cornigera) Leptocneria binotata Mocis alterna (Bean Looper Moth) Owlet Moth (Eudesmeola lawsoni) Owlet Moth (Ophiusa parcemacula) Plume Moth (Pterophoridae) Sameodes cancellalis (Banded Pearl) Yeperenye / Yipirinya

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