Cataclysta lemnata
Species of moth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cataclysta lemnata, the small china-mark,[2] is a moth species of the family Crambidae. It is found in Europe (including Great Britain and Ireland),[2] Morocco and Iran.[3]
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| Small china-mark | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Cataclysta |
| Species: | C. lemnata |
| Binomial name | |
| Cataclysta lemnata | |
| Synonyms | |
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Adults of the species are sexually dimorphic.[3] The wingspan is 18–19 mm for males and 22–24 mm for females. The forewings are white. The costa, discal spot and a series of terminal spots are all fuscous. The hindwings are white with scattered pale fuscous scales.[4] Meyrick describes it- The forewings in male are whitish, with a yellowish-fuscous discal dot, traces of lines, and a pale brownish terminal streak; in female pale brownish, ochreous-mixed, with a darker discal spot, lines very indistinct, whitish, darker-edged, a whitish siibterminal streak. Hindwings are white; a dark fuscous discal dot; lines outlined with fuscous, sometimes nearly obsolete, first preceded by a yellow or fuscous spot in disc; subterminal and terminal ochreous lines enclosing a black fascia marked with four bluish-silvery dots. The larva is dark green or blackish; dorsal line black; head pale brown.[5] See also Parsons et al.[6]
The moth flies from May to August depending on the location.
Larvae are semiaquatic.[3] C. lemnata larvae have been recorded feeding on duckweed species (including Lemna species[3] and Spirodela polyrhiza[7]), as well as water ferns of the genus Azolla.[3] The species is known to pupate in cocoons[7] or shelters[3] built from plant material.
