Sighting 4380530
Mesophleps (genus)
A Gelechioid moth at Melba, ACT
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| Mesophleps (genus) | donhe | 9 May 2021 | |
| Mesophleps (genus) | ibaird | 8 May 2021 | |
| Unverified | Bron | 8 May 2021 |
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6 comments
8 May 2021
Apparently matches this North and South American species: See iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10984571
I assume its an introduced 'pest'of soybean crops in Australia.
I assume its an introduced 'pest'of soybean crops in Australia.
8 May 2021
Good detective work Ian - I've never found this moth and have long wondered what it is. Cheers :)
8 May 2021
Soybeans are grown in the Darling Downs in Qld which roighly corresponds with the INat/ALA record. Also grown further south under irrigation in inland NSW and in to northern Vkictoria, so not unreasonable we can pick up the moth here too. The sort of crop small farmers and backyard growers would experiment with too!
8 May 2021
Fantastic - I think I have earlier records but not tagged so they might be hard to find. Will post if successful
9 May 2021
The Checklist synonomises this with Mesophleps palpigera, which BOLD has occurring in WA and Qld.
9 May 2021
The discussion on iNaturalist for M.ajustipennis suggests they are different species. There is one image by G. Cocks of M. palpigera on the ALA and iNaturalist which I think looks similar, but perhaps slightly different (i.e a dorsal not lateral image). The Australian Faunal Directory does not list M. ajustipennis, but does list M. palpigera, so the Directory therefore does not recognise them as synonyms for the same species. On Bold Systems 4 I do see Mesophleps adustipennis (6 specimens) listed as a species under the Mesophleps genera, but apparently not M. palpigera, There are several other similar looking Mesophelps genera species shown there distributed all over continental Australia. But Bold Systems 4 does not show M. adjustipennis as occuring in Australia. Therefore suggest it would be perhaps better for us to classify this as Mesophelps (genus) for now. PS. I note the taxonomic revision that occurred, See: https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/publication/b2090ff0-83e4-4786-b26d-910173fa4c68
which reverts M. palpigera to a species occuring in Africa. The one M. adjustipennis ID in Australia is hotly disputed on iNaturalist although I do think Bron's sightings do look a lot like overseas M. adjustipennis sightings.
which reverts M. palpigera to a species occuring in Africa. The one M. adjustipennis ID in Australia is hotly disputed on iNaturalist although I do think Bron's sightings do look a lot like overseas M. adjustipennis sightings.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.052978-35.208827
- Places Melba, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 28 Dec 2020 01:25 AM Recorded on
- Bron Recorded by
- 12mm to 25mm Animal size
Collections
- Insects Curved-horn moths (all Gelechioidea except Oecophoridae) Moths (Lepidoptera) Bron Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Mesophleps (genus)
Species information
- Mesophleps (genus) Scientific name
- A Gelechioid moth Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 613.8m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Additional attributes
- More than one media file
- GPS evidence of location
- Description