Avitta rufifrons Moore, 1887 CALPINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

(Photo: courtesy of Bart Hacobian, near Millaa Millaa, Queensland)

The live adult moth of this species is mainly dark brown, but the forewings particularly have a purple iridescence if viewed from the right direction. There are several dark markings, including some submarginal lines on each forewing. The head and collar are red or orange with a white outline, In death, the purple colour fades to brown. The wingspan is about 3 cms.

drawing by Frederic Moore,,
The Lepidoptera of Ceylon, L. Reeve, London, 1886, Plate 215 fig. 2,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The species has been found in

Queensland.

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Further reading :

Frederic Moore,
The Lepidoptera of Ceylon,
L. Reeve, London, Volume 3 (1886), p. 554, and also Plate 215, fig. 2.

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(written 20 March 2016)