Synemon

Synemon (commonly known as the Sun-moths) is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Edward Doubleday in 1846.[1] The genus contains 24 described and 20 undescribed species.[2] These species are found across mainland Australia and on Kangaroo Island, with the highest diversity in Western Australia.[2] Synemon species can be found in a range of habitats, including woodlands, heathlands and native perennial grasslands.[2] The adults fly during the daytime in warm to hot weather.[2] They have clubbed antennae, and are often mistaken for butterflies.[3]

Synemon
Synemon discalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Castniidae
Subfamily: Castniinae
Tribe: Synemonini
Genus: Synemon
Doubleday, 1846
Species

See text

Sun-moths typically have dull coloured forewings which, at rest, conceal their brightly coloured hindwings.[2] The hindwings can be used to startle potential predators.[3] All known larvae of sun-moths feed on monocotyledonous plants, such as Rytidosperma, Gahnia, Lepidosperma and Lomandra.[3] Since European settlement, many species have suffered drastic reductions in their distributions due to habitat loss from agriculture and other threats.[2] Some are listed as threatened, including Synemon plana, which is listed as critically endangered under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.[4]

Species

The genus includes the following species:

References

  1. "Synemon at funet.fi". Nic.funet.fi. 2005-09-24. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
  2. Douglas, Fabian (January 2007). "THE SUN-MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA:CASTNIIDAE) OF VICTORIA, WITH A DETAILED STUDY OF THE PALE SUN-MOTH (Synemon selene KLUG, 1850)" (PDF). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  3. McQuillan, P; Forrest, J; Keane, D; Grund, R (2019). CATERPILLARS, MOTHS AND THEIR PLANTS of southern Australia. Butterfly Conservation South Australia Inc. ISBN 978-0-646-80648-8.
  4. "Significant impact guidelines for the critically endangered golden sun moth (Synemon plana)" (PDF). 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2023.


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