Cryptophasa sacerdos Turner, 1902
XYLORYCTIDAE,   GELECHIOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


female
(Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

The caterpillars of this species have been found feeding on

  • Bloodwood ( Corymbia species, MYRTACEAE )

    The female adult moths have white forewings each with a black dot near the middle. The hindwings are grey. There is a row of black dots around the tip and margin of every wing. The head and prothorax are yellow, the rest of the thorax white, and the abdomen dark grey. The females have threadlike antennae, and a wingspan of about 5 cms.


    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Paul Kay, Dryandra Woodlands, Western Australia)

    The male moths are black or dark brown, with pale hairs on the thorax. The males have feathery antennae, and a wingspan of about 4 cms.


    female
    (Photo: courtesy of Ian McMillan, Imbil, Queensland)

    The species is found in :

  • Western Australia, and
  • Queensland.


    male
    (Photo: courtesy of Paul Kay, Dryandra Woodlands, Western Australia)


    Further reading :

    Ian McMillan,
    Cryptophasa sacerdos,
    Xyloryctine Moths of Australia,
    Blog, Wednesday August 18, 2010.

    A. Jefferis Turner,
    New Australian Lepidoptera,
    Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia,
    Volume 26 (1902), p. 204.


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    (written 18 December 2018, updated 9 February 2020)