Proteuxoa comma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Proteuxoa comma |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male | |
 |
|
| Female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Proteuxoa
|
| Species: |
P. comma
|
| Binomial name | |
| Proteuxoa comma (Walker, 1856)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Proteuxoa comma is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is very similar in appearance to P. tetronycha.
Contents
Taxonomy
This species was originally described by Francis Walker in 1856 and named Mamestra comma.
Description
Francis Walker described the species as follows:
Female. Cinereous. Head whitish. Palpi with whitish tips. Thorax and fore wings sprinkled with brown. Fore wings with brown transverse undulating or zigzag lines. Hind wings paler towards the base. Length of the body 6 lines ; of the wings 16 lines.
The species can be distinguished from P. tetronycha as the P. comma has a less contrasting prothoracic collar and a more grey forewing ground colour. P. comma also has a narrower winged appearance than P. tetronycha. P. comma is also slightly larger than P. tetronycha. If wingspan of a specimen is above 33mm then the species is P. comma.
Distribution
This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Images for kids
-
Proteuxoa comma, citizen science observation confirmed by Robert Hoare
