Lichenaula melanoleuca

Xyloryctidae at suppressed

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Identification history

Lichenaula melanoleuca	21 May 2025	donhe
Lichenaula melanoleuca	20 May 2025	WendyEM
Lichenaula comparella	8 Jan 2023	donhe
Lichenaula (genus)	7 Jan 2023	SteveBorkowskis

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User's notes

Attracted to UV light, approx 12-14mm long

3 comments

WendyEM wrote:

20 May 2025

Lichenaula melanoleuca
https://bold-au.hobern.net/specimens.php?taxid=89480
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?verifiable=true&taxon_id=701043&place_id=6744&preferred_place_id=6744
https://xyloryctinemothsofaustralia.blogspot.com/2010/07/lichenaula-melanoleuca.html
otherwise - Lichenaula calligrapha

ibaird wrote:

20 May 2025

Hi Wendy, I'm not sure I can easily agree this is C. melanaleuca and not L. comparella.
For example, if we go to iNaturalist page you cite above which iare sightings classified as C. melenaleuca ie.:-
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?verifiable=true&taxon_id=701043&place_id=6744&preferred_place_id=6744
to my eye there looks to be a sighting amongst them which to my eye is likely C. comparella ie.
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/257422504
amongst the majority which are most likely C. melenaleuca eg.
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/246421001

donhe wrote:

21 May 2025

I have more faith in BOLD images than iNaturalist, as their classifications are based on DNA rather than wing pattern.
I think this looks more like
https://v4.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=89480
than
https://v4.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=364899
which has a partial black line along the forewing inner margin.

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Sighting information

1 Abundance
SteveBorkowskis Recorded by
Collections
SteveBorkowskis NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Curved-horn moths (all Gelechioidea except Oecophoridae) Moths (Lepidoptera) Insects

Additional information

12mm to 25mm Animal size
Alive / healthy Animal health

Species information

Lichenaula melanoleuca Scientific name
Xyloryctidae Common name
Sensitive
Rare or uncommon native
Non-invasive or negligible
Machine learning
External link More information

Record quality

Images or audio
More than one media file
Verified by an expert moderator
Nearby sighting(s) of same species
GPS evidence of location
Description
Additional attributes

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Queensland

Northern Territory

Western Australia

South Australia

Victoria

Tasmania