Spirama

Spirama
Spirama sp., Sri Lanka
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Tribe: Hypopyrini
Genus: Spirama
Guenée in Boisduval & Guenée, 1852
Synonyms
  • Spiramia Walker, 1858

Spirama is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852.

Description

Antennae usually minutely fasciculate (bundled) in the male. The tibia is not hairy and mid-tibia spined. Palpi with second joint reaching vertex of head and third joint naked. Thorax and abdomen smoothly clothed with hair. Forewings with nearly rectangular apex. Hindwings with vein 5 from the lower angle of the cell, which is rather short.

Defensive display

Some of the species, such as S. helicina, S. indenta, S. recessa, S. remota and S. sumbana, have a pattern on the wings that looks like the frontal view of the face of a snake with a slightly opened mouth. This pattern is more clearly discernible in females. It may intimidate potential predators and dissuade them from attacking.

Spirama indenta female
Spirama helicina female
Spirama retorta female

Species

Former species

References

  1. ↑ Yu, Dicky Sick Ki. "Spirama Guenee 1852". Home of Ichneumonoidea. Taxapad. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  2. ↑ Hampson, G. F. (1894). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma: Moths Volume II. Taylor and Francis – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. ↑ John L. Capinera, Encyclopedia of Entomology, Volume 4, p. 1174