Tufted Pyralid Moth
S1, profile
Ellura
Tufted Pyralid Moth
S2, Antennae
 
                      
Tufted Pyralid Moth (Enchesphora brachypalpia)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera)
Family: Grass Moth (:Pyraloidea Pyralidae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Tufted Pyralid Moth (Enchesphora brachypalpia)
This Photo:     🔍S1, anterior🔎
Synonym: Salma brachypalpia

Thank you Rog Standen for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA) and elsewhere
1st Live Photo on-line:
~12mm long & ~28mm wingspan. Gender is not normally separated out with antennae with these Pyralid moths. As such we suspect this is a female by body shape, but aren't sure.
What a spectacular moth with tufts going in all directions! This is a perfect example of why we need to take the profile shots. We even took 2 here to give slightly different aspects of the tufts.
A pretty moth with white splashes under the tufts, mainly grey & brown mottling, with black scaloping lines towards the trailing of the forewing.
Under the hindwings we see primarily cream coloured wings, each with a dark brown trailing band, a central spot and faint zig zag line between.

Copyright © 2018-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 16-Nov-2018
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.