Insects
Moths (Lepidoptera)
Noctuoid moths (except Arctiinae)
Sighting 4669539

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Identification history

Cucullia (genus) Yesterday donhe
Unverified 17 May 2025 PJH123

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14 comments

donhe wrote:
   18 May 2025
Acrapex albicostata ? Ectopatria pelosticta ? Selepa euryochra ?
PJH123 wrote:
   19 May 2025
Don, Found nothing to agree with there
PJH123 wrote:
   19 May 2025
I might be sitting with Alice at the bottom of the rabbit hole but it might be a members of the Subfamily Cuculliinae. The only Australian species, Neogalea sunia Guenée, was introduced for the biological control of Lantana. While it is not that species, the closest I found were members of this subfamily from overseas, in particular the genus Shargacucullia
See Shargacucullia lychnitis
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-73057-2219-striped-lychnis-shargacucullia-lychnitis-116632864.html

https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/4907710128

If you look at my specimen it has a semicircular mark on the inner margin of the forewing(about half way, the marks from both forewings are side by side where they cover the abdomen), this mark can be seen on all examples of various species of Shargacucullia on this BOLD site
https://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=196769
I have not found images of all the species of Shargacucullia
ibaird wrote:
   19 May 2025
Likewise. Looked at Notodontidae without success. I thought it might be a dark Destolmia lineata but the the forewing outer margins not consistent
ibaird wrote:
   19 May 2025
Yes. looking at your references there are strong similarities with Shargacucullia lychnitis and Shargacucullia (genus), including thhe forewing margin shape, and hints of the forewing halfway marks you allude to, Also other Shargacucullia species show dark hindwings.
donhe wrote:
   20 May 2025
Shargacucullia only occurs naturally in the temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere.
PJH123 wrote:
   20 May 2025
Don, yes, that's the problem but it might be pointing to an unknown Cuculliinae in Australia
WendyEM wrote:
   21 May 2025
The other path is a species introduced to Australia (by CSIRO) for biological weed control. I have been chasing these up but not found reference to any Cuculliinae as yet.
WendyEM wrote:
   21 May 2025
Shargacucullia lychnitis
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?page=2&taxon_id=483458
stunning larvae! There are moth shots if you look.
donhe wrote:
   22 May 2025
On my phone: that link says "No observations"
WendyEM wrote:
   22 May 2025
Click to 'World" - red oblong LHSide [Australia x] click the X
ibaird wrote:
   22 May 2025
The Neogalea sunia Catabena Moth (Cucullinae) was deliberately introduced from the USA to control Lantana
https://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/cucu/sunia.html
donhe wrote:
   Yesterday
The iNat link goes to Cucullia lychnitis, not Shargacucullia lychnitis. Is someone playing with the genera?
WendyEM wrote:
   Yesterday
iNat (Canadian) FREQUENTLY has different nomenclature to Australia (AFD)

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  • 25mm to 50mm Animal size

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