''Mythimna decisissima'' is a moth of 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 ...

first described by Francis Walker in 1856. It is found from India across south-east Asia including Hong Kong,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, Taiwan and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in Queensland and New South Wales. It is also present in South Africa.

Description

Its wingspan is about 31 mm. In the male, the head, thorax and abdomen are reddish ochreous. Abdomen suffused with fuscous. Forewings with a prominent, short, white "L" mark or streak found on the median nervure. Males with large areas of metallic scales on the underside of wings. Large paired tufts of black hairs found on the basal segment of abdomen below. A pale oblique fascia from the apex outlined by dark suffusion. Antemedial, postmedial and marginal series of black specks, the first two curved and the first obsolescent. Hindwings ochreous, suffused with fuscous, especially on the outer area. Underside with disk of forewing and whole of hindwing except the costa and inner margin clothed with golden silvery scales. Costa of forewing with a postmedial black spot. The female has a more fuscous suffusion on the forewing, especially in the cell and on each side of the apical streak. Underside lacks silvery areas. Hindwings with a black cell-spot and postmedial series of specks.

References

External links

* Mythimna (moth) Moths of Asia Moths of Africa Moths of Australia Moths described in 1856 {{Mythimnini-stub