Light yellow moth with spider-like patterns, Ranomafana, Madagascar

Small (1-2cm) but beautiful moth that has an overall light yellow color with thick and explicit dark bands that resemble a web.

comments (12)

Christine Young

Lion

Love this one! Posted 5 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Maybe some kind of lichen moth (Tribe Lithosiini)?? Posted 5 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks! Yes, I think you're right. My current theory is that this may be a pale version of Asura conjunctana:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura_conjunctana
    
    ...which is mostly found in Asia, yet several Asian species also occur in MDG, not having reports could simply be a data deficiency, nobody bothered. Posted 5 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Interesting, they are definitely similar. Posted 5 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        What about Afraloa sp.? Posted 5 years ago
      2. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        The one I'm seeing from Afraloa sp. seem significantly larger, sorry. Posted 5 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Oops, I didn't even bother to note the size... Posted 5 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        No problem! Posted 5 years ago
  3. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    FB update: Paulianosia clathrata
    
    Which is super obscure. Zero results in Google, just none at all. Also not for the genus. The genus as a whole does not seem to exist, not even in big places like iNat.
    
    Yet then there is this:
    http://www.afromoths.net/species/show/27742
    
    A single holotype from 1958, and that's it. This also means that afromoths is not indexed by Google, which is really bad. Posted 5 years ago
  4. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Wow! This is awesome and annoying, haha! Posted 5 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Strangely, today this species name does bring Google results. Posted 5 years ago
      2. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Huh, weird. You blew Google's mind with all the new moth IDs. Posted 5 years ago