Lichen moth Click to enlarge image
Atelophleps tridesma (male) Turner, 1940 Image: David Britton
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Atelophleps
    Species
    tridesma
    Subfamily
    Lithosiinae
    Family
    Arctiidae
    Super Family
    Noctuoidea
    Order
    Lepidoptera
    Class
    Insecta
    Phylum
    Arthropoda
    Kingdom
    Animalia

Introduction

Males of this northern Queensland species have a large tuft of specialised scales in an invagination of the forewing.

Identification

Both sexes have brown transverse stripes on the forewing contrasting with a white ground colour. Females have three stripes and uniform grey hind wings. Males have two stripes plus an indistinct grey brown triangular marking which connects with the invagination on middle of the the forewing. This structure holds long tufts of specialised grey-white scales. The hind wings in the male have a pale basal section with a patch of cream-yellow scales.

Feeding and diet

larvae probably feed on lichens