General Information

COMMON NAMES: Owl Moth GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: India - French Polynesia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; S.Group; ?; Land, horticultural SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Pest KEY FEATURES: Medium moth (15-17mmTL) buff or light brown darkening to blackish brown distally. SIMILAR SPECIES: is much darker (vs. lighter), genitalia preparation essential to establish species status.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

Anticarsia irrorata (Fabricius, 1781)
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; ARTHROPODA; ATELOCERATA; HEXAPODA; INSECTA; PTERYGOTA; Lepidoptera; NOCTUIDAE

IDENTIFICATION: Medium moth (15-17mmTL) buff or light brown darkening to blackish brown distally. Fore wings characterised by diagonal line from wing apex to approximately 1/3 in from outer margin; row of black dots between line and wing edge; kidney shaped cell patch approximately half way along wing. Hind wings have continuation of diagonal line and similar subterminal dots. Underside buffish brown with subterminal line not originating in wing apex; brown dots also present and white cell spot. Well marked specimens also have wavy terminal line. Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Legs and Antennae similar shade of brown to wing background.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: BESO99, specimen #99, 173, 195+photo, 248, 333, ID J.Dugdale 4/2000.

References:
Special Reference: PM79

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM03a, zD02

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