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Polymixis lichenea

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Polymixis lichenea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Polymixis
Species:
P. lichenea
Binomial name
Polymixis lichenea
(Hübner, [1813])[1]
Synonyms
  • Noctua lichenea Hübner, [1813]
  • Eumichtis lichenea
  • Epunda lichenea f. apennina Dannehl, 1929
  • Eumichtis lichenea scillonea Richardson, 1958
  • Eumichtis lichenea septentrionalis Lempke, 1964
  • Epunda lichenea var. aetnea Turati, 1908
  • Polia viridicincta Freyer, 1831
  • Noctua tephra Geyer, [1832]
  • Epunda lichenea mirabilis Rungs, 1940

Polymixis lichenea, the feathered ranunculus, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in western Europe and Morocco. It is mainly found in coastal areas.

Technical description and variation

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The wingspan is 35–40 mm. Forewing dark to light green, varied with reddish along the inner margin and the course of the lines and round the stigmata; inner and outer lines grey, double; submarginal line pale, preceded by rufous wedge shaped marks; claviform stigma small, dark; orbicular and reniform whitish, often dusted with grey, with dark centres and blackish outlines; fringe green; hindwing of male white, of female light or dark grey, with grey discal spot and outer, sometimes also a submarginal, line; in the form viridicincta Frr. the ground colour is grey tinged with olive, the central fascia generally darker olive, all the red tints replaced by dark green; tephra Geyer is a paler grey form with the green tints also obsolete; aetnea Turati, from Sicily, is blackish, the markings on forewing distinct.[2]

4, 4a, 4b, 4c larvae in various stages of growth

Biology

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Adults are on wing from August to October.[3]

Larva pale green or brownish mottled with darker; spiracular line pale; head yellowish. The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including Sedum acre and Armeria maritima.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Fauna Europaea
  2. ^ Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
  3. ^ UKmoths
  4. ^ "Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni & L. M. Hernández, 2010. HOSTS – A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London".
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