Metura phyllosacca Beaver, 2020
(sometimes misidentified as Metura oceanica Viette 1963)
PSYCHIDAE,   TINEOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Metura phyllosacca
(Photo: courtesy of Eathan Beaver, Banyabba, New South Wales)

The Caterpillar of this species covers its case with pieces of leaf. The case can grow to a length of up to 10 cms.

The caterpillar is thought to feed on :

  • Red Ash ( Alphitonia excelsa, RHAMNACEAE).

    Metura phyllosacca
    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Victor W. Fasio, Tinonee, New South Wales)

    The adult male moth is basically yellow, with a black thorax, and black hairs along the back of the abdomen. The wingspan is about 5 cms.

    Metura phyllosacca
    (Photo: courtesy of Eathan Beaver)

    The species has been found in Australia in

  • Queensland, and
  • New South Wales.

    Metura phyllosacca
    underside
    (Photo: courtesy of Eathan Beaver)


    Further reading :

    Ethan P. Beaver,
    Revision of the genus Metura (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) with description of two new species,
    Zootaxa,
    Volume 4861, Part 2 (2020), pp. 203-205.


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    (written 19 September 2021, updated 19 July 2024)