Brenthia coronigera
Brenthia coronigera, commonly known as the metalmark moth,[1] is a species of moth of the family Choreutidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1918. It is found in the Bengal region of what was British India.[2]
| Brenthia coronigera | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Choreutidae |
| Genus: | Brenthia |
| Species: | B. coronigera |
| Binomial name | |
| Brenthia coronigera Meyrick, 1918 | |
The adult moth is a mimic of predatory jumping spiders; the moth's forewings are held aloft and have bold black spots, which resemble spider eyes, while its hindwings, which are held in a twisted position and are marked with stripes, resemble spider legs. The moth also moves in a jumpy, jerky fashion, like a jumping spider, rather than fluttering like other moths. Its mimicry is so convincing that spiders respond by trying to court the moth, rather than attacking it.[1]
The larvae feed on Cordia obliqua and Cordia myxa.[3]
References
- Sekar, Sandhya (26 April 2017). "Moth's disguise is so good, spiders love it instead of eating it". New Scientist. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- "choreutidae.lifedesks.org". Archived from the original on 2012-08-12. Retrieved 2012-11-05.
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
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