Autographa sansoni
Species of moth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Autographa sansoni, the Alberta beauty, is a moth of the family Noctuidae.[1][2] The species was first described by F. H. Wolley Dod in 1910.[3] It is found in the western mountains of North America, from Alaska south to Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. Occurring mainly in the Pacific Northwest, it thrives in mid-to-high elevation conifer forest habitat, as well as some areas of coastal rain forest in the Coast range.[4] However, it is also found in a non-contiguous range in sub-alpine forest in the Rocky Mountains, ranging from Alberta in the north, to New Mexico in the south.[4] The wingspan of an adult ranges between 34 and 36 mm. It is widespread, and a relatively common species.
| Alberta beauty | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Autographa |
| Species: | A. sansoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Autographa sansoni Dod, 1910 | |
Behaviour
Description
The two forewings are a dark shade of brown, whilst both hindwings are a much lighter shade of yellow, tipped with a wide marginal band of a darker yellow-brown shade.[4] The forewing culminates in a rounded point, while the hindwing is more curved.[4] There is also a curved white mark, curving from the anterior edge towards the outer edge.[4] The species is identifiable through these characteristics, as well as the possession of a curved stigma. While the species shows some sexual dimorphism, the sexes are still hard to distinguish.[1] The antenna of the male is filiform.[4] The thorax is a darker shade than the abdomen, although both shades are intermediary to those of the wings.[4]