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Cosmodes elegans
Species of moth From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cosmodes elegans, the green blotched moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand.
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Taxonomy
This species was first described by Edward Donovan in 1805 under the name Phalaena elegans.[2][1] Robert Hoare was unable to locate the type specimen for his 2017 publication.[1]
Cosmodes elegans is the only species of the genus Cosmodes.[3]
Description
Donovan originally described the species as follows:
First wings ferruginous, with three greenish spots edged with silver, the anterior one hooked : posterior wings reddish.[2]
The caterpillars of this species grow to a length of about 3 cm (1.2 in) and are bright green with dark spiracles on both sides.[4] Adult moths are brown with sinuous green markings on their forewings, white hindwings fading to light brown along the edges, and a hairy crest just behind their heads.[5] The adult's wingspan is about 4 cm (1.6 in).[6] The green blotched moth has a distinctively shaped forewing and this and the characteristic patterns on its forewings ensures that this species is unlikely to be confused with any other.[1]
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Habitat
The green blotched moth is native to Australia, although it sometimes arrives in New Zealand as a migrant or vagrant during the summer establishing temporary colonies.[1] The adult moth lives in forest clearings from January to May and this is where its larvae cocoons among the foliage of its preferred food source.[1][7]
Behaviour
This species is on the wing throughout the year but in New Zealand is more frequently recorded during the months of February to April.[1]
Diet
The larvae feed on Lobelia species, Verbena species and Wahlenbergia species.[1]
References
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