Maroon-spot Cape-moth
Palp scales
Ellura
Frosty Cape-moth
Male, dorsal
 
                      
Maroon-spot Cape-moth (Furcatrox serrula)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera)
Family: Geometer (:Geometridae Ennominae Nacophorini)
Species: Maroon-spot Cape-moth (Furcatrox serrula)
This Photo:     Ventral

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere
Head & body ~11mm, wingspan ~28mm.
Males have bipectinate antennae (2 rows of filaments), while females (shown here) have thread-like antennae (filiform).
We have been surprised to discover so many Geomotrids with horns on their faces; which can be diagnostic. This one looked like it had a horn but on closer inspection looks like scales associated with the palps; we can't be sure as we are looking at things so small they are on the limits of our camera resolution.
Photograped 1 female in Apr (which may be significant as the MoV records indicate January). Also MoV indicates NSW, Vic & Tas distribution (wet regions), so perhaps we have this wrong?

Copyright © 2018-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 17-Apr-2018
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.