Fisera perplexata

Light-tan Crest-moth at O'Connor, ACT

Fisera perplexata at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Apr 2018
Fisera perplexata at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Apr 2018
Fisera perplexata at O'Connor, ACT - 26 Apr 2018
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Identification history

Fisera perplexata 14 Nov 2018 GlennCocking
Fisera (genus) 30 Apr 2018 GlennCocking
Fisera (genus) 29 Apr 2018 ibaird

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User's notes

Attracted to MV light at night

1 comment

ibaird wrote:
   29 Apr 2018
This specimen looks like Fisera perplexata named as such on the ALA for specimens photographed at Aranda by D. Hobern (and on LBH) – but the species’ name itself portrays the difficulty in identifying the variable species in this genus. There are summer and winter forms of F. perplexata (- this specimen seems consistent with the summer form). I have ruled out the similar F. hypoleuca because this specimen lacks the dark brown forelegs of that species. However the F. perplexata holotype is Tasmanian and only a few museum specimens of this species from the mainland are regarded as F. perplexata - but as you might expect ecologically these are likely to be from the ACT. The Bold Systems 4 analysis for F. perplexata bears this out showing a mapped Tasmanian and highland ACT/NSW distribution. However, the F perplexata male has (according to MoV Part 5 supporting CD) a broad black terminal band to its hindwing – this can’t be checked in this specimen because the sex is unknown here (the antennae are different) and the hindwing was not seen. The MoV Part 5 supporting disc has proposed a number of putative Fisera sp. for Victoria, but classification system relies on seeing hindwing and other features which are not usually visible in photographs of live specimens. Seeing hindwing features is clearly important for sorting out Fisera spp.

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  • 25mm to 50mm Animal size

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