Tathorhynchus facts for kids
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This article is about a type of moth called the Tathorhynchus exsiccata. You might also hear it called the Levant blackneck or the double-spotted snout. It's the only species in its group, or genus, named Tathorhynchus. A scientist named George Hampson first named the genus in 1894. Another scientist, Julius Lederer, first described the moth itself in 1855.
This moth lives in many places around the world. You can find it naturally in the Canary Islands, North Africa, and parts of tropical Asia and Africa. It has also been brought to new places like Dominica and Argentina. A special kind of this moth, called Tathorhynchus exsiccata fallax, lives in northern Australia, Norfolk Island, and New Zealand.
About Its Name
Scientists often move species between different groups as they learn more. This moth was once moved to a different genus called Lygephila in 2003. However, in 2005, other scientists decided it belonged back in the Tathorhynchus group.
What It Looks Like
The Tathorhynchus exsiccata moth has wings that are about 40 millimeters (about 1.6 inches) wide. Its front wings are mostly whitish, but they have a lot of grey-brown color mixed in. This color is darker near the edges of the wings.
You can spot two pale marks on its front wings. These are called the orbicular and reniform stigmata. They are separated by a black line. There's also another black mark beyond the reniform spot. The outer line of the wing is pale, with black marks in front of it. Near the very edge of the wing, there's a row of black crescent shapes. The back wings are greyish-white and get darker towards their edges.
Types of Tathorhynchus exsiccata
There are two main types, or subspecies, of this moth:
- Tathorhynchus exsiccata exsiccata
- Tathorhynchus exsiccata fallax
What It Eats
The young moths, called larvae or caterpillars, eat different plants depending on where they live. The larvae of the Tathorhynchus exsiccata exsiccata type eat plants like Indigofera tinctoria (which is used to make indigo dye), Medicago sativa (also known as alfalfa), and Spartium junceum (Spanish broom).
The larvae of the Tathorhynchus exsiccata fallax subspecies probably also eat Medicago sativa.
