The Laysan noctuid moth (''Agrotis laysanensis'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
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 ...
in the family
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...
.
It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to
Laysan, in the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands or Leeward Hawaiian Islands are a series of islands and atolls in the Hawaiian island chain located northwest (in some cases, far to the northwest) of the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Politically, they are all p ...
.
This moth was one, if not the main species, eaten by the extinct
Laysan millerbird
The Laysan millerbird (''Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris'') was a subspecies of the millerbird, similar in appearance to the remaining subspecies, the Nihoa millerbird. Its dorsal side was brown, and its belly was grayish. Its name derives fr ...
. ''
Agrotis'' moths are commonly known as "millers", and the bird was named after its favorite food.
References
Lepidoptera of the Outlying Hawaiian IslandsAtoll Research Bulletin - Specimens collected on Laysan Island
laysanensis
Endemic moths of Hawaii
Natural history of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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