Batia lunaris
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Tawny Crescent (Batia lunaris) is a species
of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae
of the concealer moth family
(Oecophoridae). It is the type species
of the genus
Batia, which is sometimes treated as monotypic
. But this is not well warranted, as some other species usually placed there differ little from the Lesser Tawny Crescent.
is 7–10 mm, and in general the imagines
(adults) resemble the close relative B. lambdella
, but are only two-thirds the size of that species. Their forewings are dark ochre
, slightly darker at the tips and the hairy fringe surrounding them. At the border between the light and dark parts there is a dark blotch at the dorsal margin, which forms a continuous pointed patch if the wings are laid back while the moth rests.
It is found in Europe
, where it is not rare in many woodland
s. It is even widespread at the outer limit of its range, being a common sight in most of England
for example. The adults fly in July and August depending on the location. This moth is generally nocturnal, but can be attracted by bright lights. The habits of their caterpillar
s are not sufficiently known; there is no reason to assume that they differ in that respect from their relatives, which generally live under bark
and eat rotting wood and sometimes fungi.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae
Oecophorinae
| image = Philobota1.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Adult of Philobota arabella or a related species,Aranda | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
of the concealer moth family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Oecophoridae). It is the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Batia, which is sometimes treated as monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
. But this is not well warranted, as some other species usually placed there differ little from the Lesser Tawny Crescent.
Description and ecology
Its wingspanWingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 7–10 mm, and in general the imagines
Imago
In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from the pupa where the metamorphosis is complete...
(adults) resemble the close relative B. lambdella
Batia lambdella
Batia lambdella is a species of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family . The genus Batia is sometimes treated as monotypic, but this seems spurious considering how similar B. lambdella is to the type species B...
, but are only two-thirds the size of that species. Their forewings are dark ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
, slightly darker at the tips and the hairy fringe surrounding them. At the border between the light and dark parts there is a dark blotch at the dorsal margin, which forms a continuous pointed patch if the wings are laid back while the moth rests.
It is found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where it is not rare in many woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s. It is even widespread at the outer limit of its range, being a common sight in most of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for example. The adults fly in July and August depending on the location. This moth is generally nocturnal, but can be attracted by bright lights. The habits of their caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s are not sufficiently known; there is no reason to assume that they differ in that respect from their relatives, which generally live under bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
and eat rotting wood and sometimes fungi.
Synonyms
Junior synonyms of B. lunularis are:.- Batia begrandella (Duponchel, 1842)
- Batia clavella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854)
- Batia metznerella (Treitschke, 1835)
- Borkhausenia lunaris (Haworth, 1828)
- Chirocampa lunaris (Haworth, 1828)
- Oecophora lunaris (Haworth, 1828)
- Recurvaria lunaris Haworth, 1828