''Abantiades'' is a genus of

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 ...

s of the family

Hepialidae The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths. Taxonomy and systematics The Hepialidae constitute by far the most diverse group of the infraorder Exo ...

. There are 14 described species, all found exclusively in Australia. The group includes some large species with a

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 ...

of up to 160 mm. The

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e feed on the roots of ''

Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of Flowering plant, flowering trees, shrubs or Mallee (habit), mallees in the Myrtaceae, myrtle Family (biology), family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the Tribe (biology) ...

'' and other trees. The

Pindi moth ''Abantiades latipennis'', known as the Pindi moth, is a species of moth in the family Hepialidae. It may also be referred to as a swift moth or a ghost moth, as this is a common name associated with Hepialidae. Endemic to Australia and identifi ...

(''A. latipennis'') is an abundant species of the eucalypt forests of

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and, unlike many invertebrate species, appears to adapt well to the controversial

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

practice of

clearfelling Clearcutting, clearfelling or clearcut logging is a forestry/ logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, it is used by foresters to create certain types of fore ...

Species

Abantiades includes the following species: * ''

Abantiades albofasciatus ''Abantiades albofasciatus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to Western Australia. Description The head, thorax, and forewings are a brown tinged with pink. The hindwings and the abdomen are grey, and are both covered with wh ...

'' * ''

Abantiades aphenges ''Abantiades aphenges'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae, first described in 1904 by Alfred Jefferis Turner as ''Pielus aphenges''. The specific epithet, ''aphenges'', means "dark, gloomy". It is endemic to Australia, including New South Wales a ...

'' * ''

Abantiades aurilegulus ''Abantiades aurilegulus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. Samples have only been found in Western Australia. References Moths described in 1932 Hepialidae Moths of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia {{Hepialidae-stub ...

'' * ''

Abantiades barcas ''Abantiades barcas'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of ...

'' * ''

Abantiades fulvomarginatus ''Abantiades fulvomarginatus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excludin ...

'' * '' Abantiades hyalinatus'' (southern

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

) * ''

Abantiades hydrographus ''Abantiades hydrographus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to Western Australia. References Moths described in 1874 Hepialidae Moths of Australia {{Hepialidae-stub ...

'' * '' Abantiades labyrinthicus'' (east coast, southern

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

) * '' Abantiades latipennis'' -

(

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

) * '' Abantiades leucochiton'' * ''

Abantiades magnificus ''Abantiades magnificus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is found in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other win ...

'' (eastern

and

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

) * '' Abantiades marcidus'' * '' Abantiades ocellatus'' * ''

Abantiades sericatus ''Abantiades sericatus'' is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is endemic to Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding exte ...

References

External links

Biodiversity impacts and sustainability implications of clearfell logging in the Weld Valley, Tasmania
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2820184 Hepialidae Exoporia genera Taxa named by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer Moth genera