Cyclophora punctaria | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Geometridae |
Genus: | Cyclophora |
Species: | C. punctaria |
Binomial name | |
Cyclophora punctaria | |
Synonyms | |
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Cyclophora punctaria, the maiden's blush, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. The species is mainly prevalent in Central and Eastern Europe. In the north, its distribution extends to southern Fennoscandia and the British Isles, in the west via France to parts of northern Spain, in the south via Italy, the Balkan Peninsula (with the exception of Greece) to Asia Minor. The eastern border of the distribution is roughly the Ural. In the Caucasus area, the nominate subspecies is replaced by the subspecies C. punctaria fritzae. The range of this subspecies extends as far as Iran.Cyclophora punctaria is found mainly in wooded areas with oak scrub and oak forests. In Central Europe it rises up to 700 metres in the hills, rarely up to 1,200 metres in the Alps, and regularly rises to 1,300 metres in southern Europe.
The wingspan is 13–25 mm for the first generation; the second generation is typically much smaller and reaches only about 22 mm. The forewings have a sand ground colour, or may have reddish or yellowish tints. The pattern is variable. The medium-sized, slightly curved and brown coloured cross line is always clearly marked. Basal to this there is strongly curved row of dots. Distally is a slightly curved row of dots. A further line dots is the margin. The fringes are the basic colour. The pattern elements continue on the hindwings. The discal marks are the base colour and therefore hardly visible. The larva is smooth and slim, very variable in colour, green, brown or grey. On the sides there are red and yellowish-white spots framed by yellow oblique lines, on the dorsum they have a variety of U-shaped black spots. The pupa, which is quite is yellowish-brown to greenish with four rows of large, dark back spots. At the cremaster sit six strong bristles. [2] [3]
The moths fly in generations from May to June and in August in western Europe.
The larvae feed on oak leaves.
Cyclophora punctaria is difficult to certainly distinguish from these congeners. See Townsend et al. [4]
The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek geo γεω, and metron μέτρον "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to measure the earth as they move along in a looping fashion. Geometridae is a very large family, containing around 23,000 described species; over 1400 species from six subfamilies are indigenous to North America alone. A well-known member is the peppered moth, Biston betularia, which has been the subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.
The small fan-footed wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1767.
The riband wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The treble-bar or St. John's wort inchworm is a moth of the family Geometridae. the species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East.
The latticed heath is a moth of the family Geometridae, belonging to the subfamily Ennominae, placed in the tribe Macariini. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The scalloped oak is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The mottled beauty is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The common white wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region. Their habitat is deciduous forests and their surroundings.
Angerona is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae erected by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1829. Its only species, Angerona prunaria, the orange moth, was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Cyclophora albipunctata, the birch mocha, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1767. It is found in the Palearctic. The southern boundary runs westward along the French Atlantic coast and to the British Isles and north of the Alps. In the east, the species ranges to the Pacific Ocean. South of the northern Alps line, it is found at some high elevation areas and mountains. In the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, the southern Alps, the northern Dinaric Alps, in the western and northern Carpathians, in northern Turkey and the Caucasus. In the north, the range extends up to the Arctic Circle. In the Far East the nominate subspecies is replaced by Cyclophora albipunctata griseolataStaudinger, 1897.
Cyclophora porata, the false mocha, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found in southern Europe and England to Denmark, southern Sweden and the Caucasus.
Ennomos erosaria, the September thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found in the Palearctic realm in western Europe and from central Scandinavia. Its range extends to the northern Mediterranean and east to the Caucasus and Russia. It is widespread in mixed and deciduous forests in Europe. The south eastern occurrence reaches Turkey and the Caucasus. The main habitat is dry deciduous forests and parks. In the Southern Alps, the species rises to an altitude of about 1600 metres.
Rhodometra sacraria, the vestal, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae.
Idaea subsericeata, the satin wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. It is found from central and southern Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor to Transcaspia.
Cyclophora puppillaria, or Blair's mocha, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799. It can be found in Europe and from North Africa up to the Caucasus area.
Cyclophora linearia, the clay triple-lines, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799 and it can be found in Europe and Britain.
Cyclophora ruficiliaria, the Jersey mocha, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855. It can be found in Europe, in particular the Channel Islands as well as other parts of the mainland United Kingdom.
Cyclophora is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. Many species are referred to as mochas in reference to their colouration, primarily in Europe.
Mesotype didymata, the twin-spot carpet, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its genus is sometimes included in Perizoma.
Cyclophora albiocellaria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in south-eastern Europe and parts of Central-Asia.