Mythimna reversa (Moore,[1884])
(previously known as Aletia reversa)
HADENINAE,   NOCTUIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Mythimna reversa

The Caterpillars of this species feed on various grasses, including :

  • Paspalum species ( POACEAE ).

    Mythimna reversa
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    The adult moths have fawn forewings with various markings often including a pale line from wingtip to near the middle of the hind margin. The hindwings are pale grey darkening toward the margins. The moths have a wingspan of about 4 cms.

    Mythimna reversa
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Graeme Cocks, Townsville, Queensland)

    This species may be found across south-east Asia, including

  • Borneo,
  • Hong Kong,
  • Malaysia,

    and has also been found in Australia in

  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales, and
  • Tasmania.

    Mythimna reversa
    male, drawing by Frederic Moore, listed as Aletia reversa
    ,
    The Lepidoptera of Ceylon, L. Reeve, London, Volume 3 (1884), Plate 144, fig. 6,
    image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.


    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 465.

    Frederic Moore,
    The Lepidoptera of Ceylon,
    L. Reeve, London, Volume 3 (1884), p. 6, and also Plate 144, fig. 6.


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    (updated 24 August 2004, 17 April 2021)