''Cilaus'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

genus of the family

Crambidae Crambidae comprises the grass moth family of lepidopterans. They are variable in appearance, with the nominal subfamily Crambinae (grass moths) taking up closely folded postures on grass stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies ...

described by

Joseph de Joannis Joseph de Joannis (6 June 1864 La Meignanne, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire – 27 October 1932 Paris) was a French clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious tra ...

in 1932. Its one species, ''Cilaus longinasus'', described by the same author in the same year, is only known from the medium altitudes of

Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...

in the Indian Ocean. The name of the genus ''Cilaus'' is probably a misspelling of

Cilaos Cilaos () is a town and commune in France, commune on the France, French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. It is located centrally on the island, in a caldera of altitude 1,214 m. The caldera (usually known as the 'Cirque') is also named fo ...

, the valley of origin of the

holotype A holotype (Latin: ''holotypus'') is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of s ...

of this species.

References

* de Joannis, J. 1932. ''Lépidoptères Hétérocères des Mascareignes''. :427–456; pl. 23 Musotiminae Moths of Réunion Endemic fauna of Réunion Monotypic moth genera Taxa named by Joseph de Joannis Crambidae genera {{Musotiminae-stub nl:Cilaus longinasus