Wiltshirocossus aries is a species of moth of the family Cossidae. It is found in southern Spain, on the Canary Islands, as well as in Mauritania, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.[1] The habitat consists of deserts and semidesert areas.[2][3]

Wiltshirocossus aries
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Cossidae
Subfamily: Cossinae
Tribe: Cossini
Genus: Wiltshirocossus
Species:
W. aries
Binomial name
Wiltshirocossus aries
(Püngeler, 1902)
Synonyms
  • Cossus aries Püngeler, 1902
  • Cossus bongiovannii Krüger, 1939
  • Cossus pulcher Rungs, 1942
  • Cossus tahlai Dumont, 1932
  • Cossus turatii Krüger, 1934
  • Wiltshirocossus aegyptiaca (Hampson, 1910)
  • Wiltshirocossus bongiovannii (Krüger, 1939)
  • Wiltshirocossus pulcher (Rungs, 1943)
  • Wiltshirocossus tahlai (Dumont, 1932)
  • Wiltshirocossus turatii (Krüger, 1934)

The wingspan is about 39 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is white, with brownish suffusion. The hindwings are shining greyish black.[4] Adults are on wing from February to April in North Africa and from April to May in Spain.

The larvae feed on Acacia species.

Subspecies

edit
  • Wiltshirocossus aries aries
  • Wiltshirocossus aries aegyptiaca (Hampson, 1910) (Egypt)
  • Wiltshirocossus aries cheesmani (Tams, 1925) (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain)

References

edit
  1. ^ Cossidae of Israel
  2. ^ "Wiltshirocossus aries". GBIF. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  3. ^ "Wiltshirocossus aries (Püngeler, 1902)". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  4. ^ lepiforum.de   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.