Photedes captiuncula

Photedes captiuncula, the least minor, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe, in Turkey, Armenia, Russia and much of temperate Asia (western Siberia, Altai mountains, Central Asia and Amur).[1][2]

Photedes captiuncula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Noctuidae
Genus:
Photedes
Species:
P. captiuncula
Binomial name
Photedes captiuncula
(Treitschke, 1825)
Synonyms
  • Apamea captiuncula Treitschke, 1825
  • Apamea unica Freyer, 1858
  • Miana expolita Doubleday, 1855
  • Photedes captiunctula kasyi Varga, 1970
  • Photedes captiuncula delattini Varga, 1970
  • Photedes captiuncula var. tincta Kane, 1895

Technical description and variation
For a key to the terms used, see Glossary of entomology terms.

The wingspan is 15–18 mm.[2][3] Forewing whitish ochreous, the base and costal area fulvous, olive-tinged; the median and terminal areas either simply deeper fulvous or darkened with blackish scales; the lines white, thicker in female than male, sometimes diffusely expanded on inner margin; orbicular and reniform sometimes orange-tawny, or grey brown and obscure, generally with pale rings; hindwing dark fuscous; in expolita Dbld.the usual North British form, the forewing is uniform greyish brown; this is also recorded from Armenia; — in tincta Kane, from Ireland, (which Staudinger wrongly sinks to captiuncula), the basal area is grey, the median deep pink, and the terminal pale glossy pink.[4]

Fig.5, 5a larva after last moult

Biology

The moth flies in June and July.

Larva (of expolita) ochreous tinged with reddish, more purplish on the dorsum of middle segments; head reddish brown; thoracic plate paler. The larvae feed internally (in the stem and roots) on glaucous sedge, Carex glauca and other sedges.[3][5][6]

References
  1. Markku Savela. "Photedes captiuncula". funet.fi. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  2. Bert Gustafsson (10 November 2009). "Photedes captiuncula". Naturhistoriska riksmuseet. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  3. Ian Kimber. "2344 Least Minor Photedes captiuncula". UKMoths. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  4. Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
  5. Wikisource:The Moths of the British Isles/Chapter 15#277
  6. "Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni & L. M. Hernández, 2010. HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London".
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