The dryandra moth (''Carthaea saturnioides'') is a species of

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

that is considered to be the sole member of the family Carthaeidae. Its closest relatives are the

Saturniidae Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor moths, royal moths, and gi ...

and it bears a resemblance to many species of that family, bearing prominent eyespots on all wings. The common name is derived from the ''

Dryandra ''Banksia'' ser. ''Dryandra'' is a series of 94 species of shrub to small tree in the plant genus ''Banksia''. It was considered a separate genus named ''Dryandra'' until early 2007, when it was merged into ''Banksia'' on the basis of extensiv ...

'' shrubs of the genus ''

Banksia ''Banksia'' is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and fruiting "cones" and heads. ''Banksias'' range i ...

'', on which the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

of this species feed, and is hence restricted to the south-west of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

where these shrubs grow. Other ''

Grevillea ''Grevillea'', commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus ''Grevillea'' are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the b ...

'' shrubs may also be used as

host plant In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' (symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include a ...

Description

The larva (

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

) of this species is grey on the dorsal side, and yellow on the ventral side. Along the

proleg A proleg is a small, fleshy, stub structure found on the ventral surface of the abdomen of most larval forms of insects of the order Lepidoptera, though they can also be found on other larval insects such as sawflies and a few other types of in ...

s there is a line of clear markings, as well as markings in the form of an eye, following the line of

spiracle Spiracle or spiraculum may refer to: * Spiracle (arthropods), opening in the exoskeletons of some arthropods * Spiracle (vertebrates), openings on the surface of some vertebrates * Spiraculum, a genus of land snails in family Cyclophoridae Cycl ...

s. In the adult, each wing presents a large eyespot. The eyespots on the hindwings are distinct, whereas the eyespots on the forewings are smaller and often duller. These eyespots are visible on both sides of the wing. The apex and outer margin of the forewing are darker than the basal region. The wing venation is similar to that of the Saturniidae. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

ranges from .

Behaviour

The larvae are diurnal, whereas the adults fly only at night, from October to December. When disturbed, adult moths tend to lower the head and abdomen, bringing the forewings forward to expose the large spots on the hindwings, which oscillate from side to side, giving the aggressor the impression that it is being watched by two large eyes (such as an owl), in an attempt to cause the aggressor to refrain from attacking.

References

External links

Australian Moths Online
— images of adults
Tree of Life
Bombycoidea Moths described in 1858 Taxa named by Francis Walker (entomologist) Moths of Australia {{Bombycoidea-stub