Elophila nymphaeata

Elophila nymphaeata, the brown china mark, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

Brown china mark
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Crambidae
Genus:	Elophila
Species:	E. nymphaeata
Binomial name
Elophila nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758)[1]
Synonyms
Phalaena (Geometra) nymphaeata Linnaeus, 1758 Nymphula nymphaeata auralis Osthelder, 1935 Elophila interruptalis ezoensis Yoshiyasu, 1985 Nymphula nymphaeata hederalis Amsel, 1935 Hydrocampa algiralis Guenée, 1849 Hydrocampa nigra Foucart, 1876 Hydrocampa obscuralis Selys-Longchamps, 1845 Hydrocampa nymphaealis Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Nymphula latifaseata Rothschild, 1921 Nymphula latifasciata Klima, 1937 Nymphula nymphaeata f. reducta Lattin, 1958 Nymphula sordidior Rothschild, 1921 Nymphula umbrata Meder, 1934 Phalaena (Geometra) potamogata Linnaeus, 1758 Hydrocampa potamogetalis Reutti, 1898 Hydrocampa potamogalis Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Phalaena nympheata Hufnagel, 1767 Phalaena rivulata Scopoli, 1763 Elophila nymphaeata silarigla (Speidel, 1984)

Distribution

It is found in Europe and across the Palearctic to the Russian Far East and China. The moth is notable as its larva, like most members of the crambid subfamily Acentropinae, is aquatic and has tracheal gills.^{[citation needed]}

Description

The wingspan is 16–20 mm. The forewings vary from yellow-ochreous to rather dark fuscous; basal area with dentate white and dark fuscous lines; a white subcostal spot before first line; lines whitish, obscure, dark-margined, first angulated above middle, second with deep abrupt sinuation inwards below middle; median band almost occupied by three white dark edged blotches; an irregular interrupted white dark-edged and dark-veined subterminal streak. Hindwings as forewings, but base white, median band white except discal spot, second lineless sinuate. The larva is light brownish; dorsal line darker; head light brown; plate of 2 black-edged. In flat oval floating cases of leaf-fragments, on Potamogeton, Hydrocharis, Sparganium, etc.^[2] See also Parsons et al.^[3]

Figs 3, 3b, 3e, 3h, 3l larvae in various stages of growth; 3a, 3c, 3d, 3f, 3g, 3i, 3j,3k,3 m, 3n, 3o cases with larvae in various stages of growthon floating water plants (Potamogeton natans, Alisma plantago, Sparganium simplex, Myosotis palustris)

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  Caterpillar
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  ♂
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  ♂ △

Biology

The moth flies from May to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Potamogeton, Nymphaeaceae and Nuphar lutea.

Subspecies

• Elophila nymphaeata nymphaeata
• Elophila nymphaeata silarigla Speidel, 1984 (Algeria and Morocco)