Exelastis phlyctaenias (Meyrick, 1911)
 (formerly known as Marasmarcha phlyctaenias)
PTEROPHORINAE,   PTEROPHORIDAE,   PTEROPHORIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Exelastis phlyctaenias
(Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

The Caterpillars of this species have been found feeding on

  • Cashew Tree ( Anacardium occidentale, ANACARDIACEAE ), and
  • Pidgeon Pea ( Cajanus cajan, FABACEAE ).

    Exelastis phlyctaenias
    (Photo: courtesy of Geoff Byrne, Kununurra, Western Australia)

    The adult moth has pale brown wings, each forewing with two or three vague dark spots along the middle of the wing, and sometimes with some black dots on the margin. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

    The species occurs around the world in the tropics, including

  • Sri Lanka,
  • Tanzania,
  • Virgin Islands,

    as well as in Australia in

  • Western Australia,
  • Queensland
  • New South Wales.

    Further reading :

    Edward Meyrick,
    Descriptions of Indian Microlepidoptera Part XIV,
    Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society,
    Volume 21 (1911), p. 106.

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    (written 7 September 2018, updated 20 December 2019)