Ammoconia senex

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Ammoconia senex
Female Ammoconia senex moth

Female Ammoconia senex moth

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Superfamily : Noctuoidea
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Ammoconia
Type : Ammoconia senex
Scientific name
Ammoconia senex
( Geyer , 1828)

Ammoconia senex , also called Middle Rhine Valley Early Autumn Owl or Middle Rhine Valley Grass Owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) fromthe owl butterfly family (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

With a wingspan of 36 to 46 millimeters, the moths are among the medium-sized owl butterflies. The basic color of the forewings varies from white-gray to ash-gray to blue-gray. The transverse lines and the wavy line are often indistinct. Kidney and ring flaws are large, shimmer in the shade of the basic color and have a thin border. There are some very small wedge marks on the hem. In the male specimens the hind wings are colored white, in the females gray-brown with whitish fringes.

Egg, caterpillar, pupa

The egg has a hemispherical shape with a strongly flattened base and is provided with straight ribs. The micropyl zone is sunk. The reddish-yellow color is characteristic, showing a red-brown band with multiple interruptions and similar spots in the central area.

Younger caterpillars are green in color and have a light back line and an equally colored side stripe. In the adult animals, red-green or green-gray basic colors predominate. A dark marbling can be seen on the back. Both the back line and the side stripes are fine, colored whitish and bordered in black.

The maroon doll has a stick-shaped, provided with two strong spines, wrinkled cremaster .

Similar species

Moths of the gray-brown early autumn owl ( Ammoconia caecimacula ) predominantly show gray-brown color elements. This also differs in the distinctive thickening of the inner transverse line. While Ammoconia aholai and Ammoconia innominate be distinguished well a darkened midfield, very similar to can Crete and the southern part of the Peloponnese occurring Ammoconia reisseri only by a genitalmorphologische investigation beyond doubt from senex be distinguished.

Geographical distribution and habitat

Ammoconia senex is widespread in Mediterranean Europe. There is an isolated occurrence on the Middle Rhine. The species is also found in Turkey, the Caucasus, Iraq, and Iran. It is divided into different geographical subspecies :

  • ssp. senex in the northern Mediterranean area,
  • ssp. mediorhenana on the Middle Rhine,
  • ssp. typhoea in Sicily,
  • ssp. wagneri in Bulgaria,
  • ssp. victoris in Turkey,
  • ssp. rjabovi in Dagestan as well
  • ssp. transhamadanensis in Iran.

The animals are mainly found in dry, rocky areas, on warm slopes, sunny embankments or in clearings.

Way of life

The moths are nocturnal and live in September and October, sometimes well into November. They are very attracted to artificial light sources and baits . Low plants, for example plantain ( Plantago ) and dandelion species ( Taraxacum ), are given as forage plants for the caterpillars, which live mainly from May to July . The egg is hibernating.

Danger

The species occurs in Germany only on the Middle Rhine and is listed on the Red List of Endangered Species in Category 2 (endangered).

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Lázló Ronkay, José Luis Yela & Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II . In: Michael Fibiger, Martin Honey (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 5 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9 (English).
  2. ↑ Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  3. ↑ Gyulai, P. & Ronkay, L .: "New Noctuidae taxa from Iran and Turkey (Lepidoptera)." Esperiana Entomology Book Series 12, 2006.
  4. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • Lázló Ronkay, José Luis Yela & Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II . In: Michael Fibiger, Martin Honey (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 5 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9 (English).

Web links

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