Synemon theresa

Synemon theresa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Castniidae
Genus:	Synemon
Species:	S. theresa
Binomial name
Synemon theresa Doubleday, 1846[1]
Synonyms
Synemon mopsa Doubleday, 1846 Synemon livida Tepper, 1882 Synemon obscura Tepper, 1882

The Cryptic Sun Moth (Synemon theresa) is a moth in the Castniidae family. It is found in Australia, including South Australia^[2] and Victoria.^[3]

Plate depicting several Australian Lepidoptera species, including Synemon sophia, number 6 and 7

The wingspan is about 30 mm for males and 35 mm for females.^[4] The upperside of the anterior wings is greyish, the disc varied with longitudinal pale and fuscous dashes, beyond the middle the pale dashes almost form a transverse band, followed by a series of dark spots. The margin is brown slightly varied with white. The posterior wings are fulvous-brown at the base, marked with a clear fulvous spot, beyond this, fulvous with a transverse macular band, the margin itself black. On the underside, the anterior wings are orange, with the outer margin narrowly black, with three or four black spots before the apex. The posterior wings are greyish in the male, in the female nearly as above, but paler. The head, thorax and abdomen grey above and whitish below. The antennae are black, ringed with white.

Adults are on wing from mid December to early January.

The larvae possibly feed on Austrodanthonia species.

References

1. Synemon at funet
2. CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences - Australian Moths Online
3. Five threatened Victorian Sunmoths (Synemon species)
4. Barbara Hardy Centre for Sustainable Urban Environments