List of moths of Australia (Anthelidae) facts for kids
The family Anthelidae are special moths often called "Australian woolly bears." You can find them only in Australia and New Guinea. This article lists the different kinds of Anthelidae moths found in Australia. It's part of a bigger list of all the moths in Australia.
Contents
Meet the Australian Woolly Bears
The Anthelidae are a group, or family, of moths. In biology, a family is a way to group living things that are closely related. Think of it like a big family tree! These moths are unique because they are only found in Australia and New Guinea.
What Makes Them Special?
Many Anthelidae moths get the nickname "woolly bears" because their caterpillars are very hairy. These hairs can sometimes look like wool. The adult moths are often quite large and have thick, furry bodies. They can be many different colors, like brown, grey, or yellow.
Life Cycle of a Woolly Bear Moth
Like all moths, Anthelidae go through a fascinating metamorphosis. It starts with an egg, which hatches into a caterpillar (the "woolly bear"). This caterpillar eats and grows, shedding its skin several times. Then, it forms a pupa (often in a cocoon). Inside the pupa, the caterpillar changes into an adult moth. The adult moth then flies, mates, and lays eggs, starting the cycle again.
Different Kinds of Anthelidae
Scientists group Anthelidae moths into smaller groups called subfamilies. Here are the species found in Australia, listed under their subfamilies. Each name includes the scientific name of the moth and the name of the person who first described it, along with the year.
Anthelinae
- Anthela achromata Turner, 1904
- Anthela addita (Walker, 1865)
- Anthela adriana (Swinhoe, 1902)
- Anthela allocota Turner, 1921
- Anthela ariprepes Turner, 1921
- Anthela asciscens (T.P. Lucas, 1891)
- Anthela astata Turner, 1926
- Anthela asterias (Meyrick, 1891)
- Anthela barnardi Turner, 1922
- Anthela basigera (Walker, 1865)
- Anthela callileuca Turner, 1922
- Anthela callispila Lower, 1905
- Anthela callixantha (Lower, 1902)
- Anthela canescens (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela cinerascens (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela clementi (Swinhoe, 1902)
- Anthela cnecias Turner, 1921
- Anthela connexa (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela decolor Turner, 1939
- Anthela deficiens (Walker, 1865)
- Anthela denticulata (Newman, 1856)
- Anthela euryphrica Turner, 1936
- Anthela excellens (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela exoleta (Swinhoe, 1892)
- Anthela ferruginosa Walker, 1855
- Anthela guenei (Newman, 1856)
- Anthela habroptila Turner, 1921
- Anthela heliopa (Lower, 1902)
- Anthela hyperythra Turner, 1921
- Anthela inornata (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela limonea (Butler, 1874)
- Anthela neurospasta Turner, 1902
- Anthela nicothoe (Boisduval, 1832)
- Anthela ocellata (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela ochroptera (Lower, 1892)
- Anthela oressarcha Turner, 1921
- Anthela ostra Swinhoe, 1903
- Anthela phaeodesma Turner, 1921
- Anthela phoenicias Turner, 1902
- Anthela postica (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela protocentra (Meyrick, 1891)
- Anthela pudica (Swinhoe, 1902)
- Anthela pyrrhobaphes Turner, 1926
- Anthela reltoni (T.P. Lucas, 1895)
- Anthela repleta (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela rubeola (R. Felder, 1874)
- Anthela rubicunda (Swinhoe, 1902)
- Anthela stygiana (Butler, 1882)
- Anthela subfalcata (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela tetraphrica Turner, 1921
- Anthela unisigna Swinhoe, 1903
- Anthela varia (Walker, 1855)
- Anthela virescens Turner, 1939
- Anthela xantharcha (Meyrick, 1891)
- Anthela xanthocera Turner, 1922
- Chelepteryx chalepteryx (R. Felder, 1874)
- Chelepteryx collesi Gray, 1835
- Chenuala heliaspis (Meyrick, 1891)
- Nataxa amblopis (Turner, 1944)
- Nataxa flavescens (Walker, 1855)
- Omphaliodes obscura (Walker, 1855)
- Pterolocera amplicornis Walker, 1855
- Pterolocera elizabetha (White, 1841)
- Pterolocera ferruginea Strand, 1925
- Pterolocera ferrugineofusca Strand, 1925
- Pterolocera insignis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1856)
- Pterolocera isogama Turner, 1931
- Pterolocera leucocera (Turner, 1921)
- Pterolocera rubescens (Walker, 1865)
Munychryiinae
- Gephyroneura cosmia Turner, 1921
- Munychryia periclyta Common & McFarland, 1970
- Munychryia senicula Walker, 1865
