Arthropods • Earth.com

Asota iodamia

(Asota iodamia)

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Description

Asota iodamia is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1854. It is found in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. The wingspan is about 50 mm. The larvae feed on the leaves of various figs, including Ficus macrophylla. At first, the caterpillars are communal. They skeletonise the undersides of the leaf. Later they separate. Asota is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae first described by Jacob Hübner in 1819. Species are widely distributed throughout Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Malayan region and tropical parts of the Australian region. Palpi upturned, where the second joint reaching the vertex of the head and the third joint is slender in variable lengths. Antennae fasciculated (bundled) in males and ciliated (hairy) in females. Forewings with vein 5 from the lower angle of cell or just above it. Vein 6 from the upper angle or below it. Areole absent. Hindwings with vein 5 from just above lower angle of cell. Veins 6 and 7 from the upper angle. The genus was formerly placed in the families Noctuidae and Arctiidae by some authors. Other authors placed them in the family Aganaidae or Hypsidae. Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that the Aganainae are most closely related to the Herminiinae (litter moths), and this pair of subfamilies is most closely related to the Arctiinae (tiger and lichen moths), all within the family Erebidae.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Noctuidae
Genus:Asota
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