Yellowtail moth
The yellowtail moth or ashen moth (Hylesia metabus) is a species of moth found in northeastern South America. Contact with the urticating hairs of adult female moths is known to cause a cutaneous condition called the Caripito itch.[1] [2][3] The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775.
| Yellowtail moth | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Saturniidae |
| Genus: | Hylesia |
| Species: | H. metabus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hylesia metabus (Cramer, 1775) | |
| Synonyms | |
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These moths are mainly found along the mangrove swamps of Venezuela and Guyana. The adult moths however swarm to lights in nearby towns and the urticating hairs are released into the air leading to severe urticarial and papulovesicular dermatitis. Hairs from male moths do not cause any symptoms.[4]
These special hairs are used by the females to protect their eggs masses from predators such as ants.[5]
References
- Jourdain, F.; Girod, R.; Vassal, J.M.; Chandre, F.; Lagneau, C.; Fouque, F.; Guiral, D.; Raude, J.; Robert, V. (2012). "The moth Hylesia metabus and French Guiana lepidopterism: centenary of a public health concern". Parasite. 19 (2): 117–128. doi:10.1051/parasite/2012192117. ISSN 1252-607X. PMC 3671431. PMID 22550622.
- Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. p. 1307. ISBN 978-1-4160-2999-1.
- Rodriguez-Morales, Alfonso J; Melissa Arria; Jose Rojas-Mirabal; Eduardo Borges; Jesus A Benitez; Melfran Herrera; Carlos Villalobos; Andrea Maldonado; Nestor Rubio; Carlos Franco-Paredes (2005). "Lepidopterism due to exposure to the moth Hylesia metabus in northeastern Venezuela". American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 73 (5): 991–993. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2005.73.991. PMID 16282317.
- Iserhard, C. A.; Kaminski, L. A.; Marchiori, M. O.; Teixeira, E. C.; Romanowski, H. P. (2007). "Occurrence of Lepidopterism Caused by the Moth Hylesia nigricans (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil". Neotropical Entomology. 36 (4): 612–615. doi:10.1590/s1519-566x2007000400022. PMID 17934630.
- Jessicca Rodriguez; Jose Vicente Hernández; Lizette Fornés; Ulf Lundberg; Carmen-Luisa Arocha Piñango; Frances Osborn (2004). "External morphology of abdominal setae from male and female Hylesia metabus adults (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and their function". Florida Entomologist. 87 (1): 30–36. doi:10.1653/0015-4040(2004)087[0030:EMOASF]2.0.CO;2.
External links
Media related to Hylesia metabus at Wikimedia Commons- Moth information on Hylesia metabus—(in French)
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