Alice Springs Fauna •
Alice Springs Moths | Alice Springs Moths Index
The Plume Moth, are a well known and easily recognized group of moths in the family Pterophoridae. Comprising over 90 genera, that is estimated to be made up of over 1,000 species.
Most of the species have distinctive wings that are divided into narrow lobes that resemble feathers or “plumes” (because of the long fringe scales along the lobe margins). The forewing is usually divided into 2 lobes (with some species having 3 or 4), and the hindwing into 3. There are two genera, Agdistis and Ochyrotica that have entire wings.
Most adult Plume Moths, when at rest have their wings folded or rolled and held perpendicular to the slender body of the moth, in the characteristic “T”-shaped position. Some species rest with the wings tilted back or slightly back and upward in more of a “Y” shape position.
In the following (not the sharpest of) photos, is a Plume Moth (deceased), that was retrieved from a swimming pool in Alice Springs.
Check out our section on Fauna > Insects | Moths | Moth Index | Plume Moth
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Superfamily: Pterophoroidea
- Family: Pterophoridae
- Subfamilies:
- Agdistinae
- Deuterocopinae
- Ochyroticinae
- Pterophorinae
Footnote & References
- Many thanks to Andrew Parker for ID, member of NT Field Naturalists’ Club Inc, https://www.facebook.com/groups/ntfieldnaturalistsclub/
- Pterophoridae in Australia, Coffs Harbour Butterfly House, www.lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/pter/pterophoridae.html
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