Maroon-spot Cape-moth
Dorsal
Ellura
Maroon-spot Cape-moth
Face
 
                      
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:     Profile

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.
One female found in April (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 © 2018-2023 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.