Axia (moth)
| Axia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Axia margarita | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Cimeliidae |
| Genus: | Axia Hübner, 1821 |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Timia Boisduval, 1828 | |
Axia, or the "Gold Moths", is a genus of moths whose precise relationships within the Macrolepidoptera are currently uncertain, but they currently represent a superfamily whose nearest relatives include the butterflies, Calliduloidea, Drepanoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea, Mimallonoidea and Lasiocampoidea, and the Noctuoidea. Uniquely, they have a pair of pocket-like organs on the seventh abdominal spiracle of the adult moth [1] which are possibly sound receptive organs .[2] They are quite large and brightly coloured moths that occur only in Southern Europe and feed on species of Euphorbia. Sometimes they are attracted to light .[1]
One species, Epicimelia theresiae, was formerly included in this genus, but has since been recognized as distinct; it is the only other described species in the family.[3]
References
- 1 2 J. Minet (1999). "The Axioidea and Calliduloidea". In N. P. Kristensen. Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin & New York. pp. 257–261.
- ↑ J. Minet & A. Surlykke (2003). "Auditory and sound producing organs". In N. P. Kristensen. Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies. Volume 2: Morphology and Physiology. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin. pp. 289–323.
- ↑ Shen-Horn Yen and Joël Minet (2007) Cimelioidea: A New Superfamily Name for the Gold Moths (Lepidoptera: Glossata). Zoological Studies 46(3): 262-271
Sources
- De Freina, J.J. and Witt, T.J, (1987) Die Bombyces und Sphinges der Westpalearktis.; ISBN 3-926285-00-1
- Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002
External links
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