''Synemon selene'', the pale sun-moth, is a
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...
in the
Castniidae
Castniidae, or castniid moths, is a small family of moths with fewer than 200 species: The majority are Neotropical with some in Australia and a few in south-east Asia. These are medium-sized to very large moths, usually with drab, cryptically ...
family. It is found in
Australia, including
Victoria and
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
.
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan ...
is about 35 mm for males and 47 mm for females. The forewing upperside is predominantly light brown or greyish brown with small black and white markings and pale fawn or greyish-fawn striations, which follow the veins. The hindwing upperside is yellowish orange with blackish spots and markings and a silvery-grey basal area. On their undersides, the forewings and hindwings are shades of pale whitish-orange with a few blackish spots and markings. A number of
morphs occur, commonly named the pale morph,
Terrick Terrick morph,
Nhill morph, narrow-winged morph, dark morph and
Two Wells morph.
The Sun-Moths (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) Of Victoria
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Adults have been recorded from early February to early March.
The larvae probably feed on the roots of '' Austrodanthonia setacea''.
References
Moths described in 1850
Castniidae
Taxa named by Johann Christoph Friedrich Klug
{{Castniidae-stub