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Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Proteuxoa
Species:	P. sanguinipuncta
Binomial name
Proteuxoa sanguinipuncta Guenée, 1852
Synonyms
Peripyra trilineata

Proteuxoa sanguinipuncta is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and south Western Australia. It is also present in New Zealand.

The wingspan is about 40 mm.

The larvae feed on various grasses.

Description

These moths (Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta) are part of the Noctuidae family and are part of the Arthropoda Phylum. There is no other species quite like it, This species of moth has two crimson spots on the forewing making it easy to diagnose and identify. The male adult Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta wingspan ranges from around 38-44mm, The adult female is a bit larger with a wingspan of 44mm+. Other features of the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta include thick fluffy scaling on the male foretibia which also adds as a distinctive feature for these moths. The moth has a black head, creamy white frons and exterior surfaces as well as white scales around the base of the antenna. The forewings are a rich brown colour with a couple of white wavy lines going across the body. The hindwings are a palish brown with more of a creamy colour giving the moth a desert look. The Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta caterpillar consist of three colours (black, brown and cream). The head is a lot darker in colour and is narrower than the body giving its body a sloped look. The body has wavy cream stripes going length ways down the body and has dark spots between these stripes. The caterpillar will tend to grow up to 4cm long.

Distribution and Habitat

The species of Proteuxoa are often found in wide open dry habitats in New Zealand and Australia. These locations include the south of Perth, North of Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and all over Tasmania. These moths have also been identified throughout the North Island of New Zealand and Northern areas of the South Island. They feed on various unspecified grasses in low dry grasslands to maintain their healthy lifecycle. The Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta is a common moth of the North Island and is established in forest edges and grassland habitats. The moth has recently been located around the Northern areas of the South Island expanding its distribution. The moth has been identified all throughout the Australian region making its larvae a pest to pasture and crops. The caterpillar has a tendency to feed on crops during high rainfall months causing disruption to local drier biodiversity. The moths flight period begins in early February in the warmer months and ends in late April.

Life Cycle

The moth life cycle is a very structured and complex process that involves stages of metamorphisms. The average life cycle of a moth ranges between 65-90 days depending on the location, habitat and growing conditions of the moth. The life cycle begins with the adult female laying up to 300+ eggs in a secure habitat, these eggs then take around 4-10 days to hatch. Once hatched these eggs turn into a caterpillar where their lifespan ranges from 2-30 months depending on the condition of the caterpillar. In the case of the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta, the caterpillar grows to a length of 3-4cm long where they then feed on pastures and clumps of grass. After the caterpillar phase, the moth then goes onto the main process of metamorphism where the caterpillar spins itself in a silk creating a cocoon, this is where it will hang and endure the process of metamorphism for 8-10 days. During this stage the caterpillars old body dies and rots away, a new body is formed inside the protective shell (chrysalis) inside the silk cocoon. The final process and the final stage of the life cycle is when the caterpillar goes from cocoon to an adult moth. A healthy fully grown Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta will live up to 90 days where it will feed on grasslands and produce eggs to continue the moth life cycle.

Interactions

In the 90 days that the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta is alive for, the moth encounters a large variety of interactions. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, the moth must go on to feed on grass and shrubs. The main source of food for this insect is the Poaceae plant which produces cereal grasses, a good source of food for the moth. It is natural for moths and caterpillars to be attracted to ryegrass pastures as this is where they will strip them for food and harvest their resources. The grasslands in Australia create a perfect habitat for the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta as they provide nice dry pastures for the moth to fuel on, as well as a safe environment away from predators. Although the biodiversity acts as a shelter for the moth, the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta still encounters many predators. The main predator that the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta interacts with is the birds in those areas. The bird is a big threat to moths as insects are a main source of food for them. Not only are the birds an obstacle for these moths but also bats, lizards, small rodents, hornets, ants, spiders and beetles. These animals and insects mean that the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta and moths in general have to fly with caution and experience what it means to be a prey.

Further Information

This moth is widespread all throughout Australia and has made its way to the Northern regions of New Zealand. The first recording of the Proteuxoa Sanguinipuncta in New Zealand was in February 2007 in Blowhard Bush where two males were captured and analysed. Since this encounter, the numbers have increased, and the moth has become more common in the North Island of New Zealand. The first South Island encounter was February 2015 in the sand dunes of Karamea where females were observed and captured. The larvae that these moth produce have become a pest to local pastures and crops. As many famers know, pests can interfere with crop yield and can seriously disrupt produce. These caterpillars have become a big inconvenience to farmers as their way of harvesting resources disturbs the process for producers. Because the caterpillar has become such a big pest towards farmers, this then makes humans a predator for moths and caterpillars as farmers have developed pesticides to exterminate these insects. The thing that makes this insect stand out from other insects is the black spots surrounded by red on the forewings. This feature means that this moth can be easily identified and can make observing them much simpler. This spot makes diagnosis more straight forward and means that it is unlikely to be confused with other species of moth.

References

Category:Proteuxoa Category:Moths of Australia Category:Moths described in 1852 Category:Moths of New Zealand