Onycodes traumataria

Small Twisted Moth at Cotter River, ACT

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Identification history

Onycodes traumataria	17 Feb 2019	GlennCocking
Onycodes traumataria	12 Feb 2019	GlennCocking
Unidentified	12 Feb 2019	HarveyPerkins

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User's notes

Folded wingspan ca 30 mm. When I finally approached too close, it fell like a fallen leaf to the ground. I suspect it would have stayed there to complete the deception, except it landed in water at the edge of the stream so took off very quickly!

6 comments

donhe wrote:

12 Feb 2019

I think Onycodes rubra is a better match to the forewing shape, but the system will not allow me to suggest a missing species.

GlennCocking wrote:

13 Feb 2019

I suggested the other Onycodes, but now I'm not so sure - will check further

donhe wrote:

13 Feb 2019

I see on BOLD that some of the Onycodes traumataria have limited dark markings, and the pinker forewing costa like this specimen, but O. rubra has the larger wingspan like 4197339.

HarveyPerkins wrote:

13 Feb 2019

To me, the wing shape, particularly the curvature of the leading edge of the forewing; and the colouring and pattern, are more like the ALA image for rubra than for traumataria (says the complete non-expert!)

ibaird wrote:

13 Feb 2019

Yes the forward curvature of the forewing looks more like O. rubra as seen on the ALA, although this specimen has more tick marks (i.e. 3) on the outer forewing edge than for O. rubra (usually only one) as shown on the ALA. Warrants comparison with set specimens at ANIIC as Glenn suggests, I think.

GlennCocking wrote:

18 Feb 2019

Onycodes traumataria is from medium to high altitude wet forest such as at Smokers Gap and in the mountains of NSW generally. O. rubra is mainly from mountainous areas north of the ACT as far as the Atherton tableland, and extending to the coast in S Qld and NSW. The wing patterns – both dark marks and base colour - are variable in both O. traumataria and O. rubraria , and I can find no consistent difference. But the species do differ in shape of apex of forewing and in the colour of the forewing costa and colour of top of head. O. traumataria males have a falcate apex and O. rubraria do not (both species have this feature in the females). O. traumataria males have a broad pink band just inside the costa whereas in O. rubraria this area is the same colour as the rest of the forewing or whiteish. O. rubraria have a white scales at the top of the head, between the antennae, whereas in O. traumataria this area is colourful (although the adjacent “collar” at the front of the thorax is often white.) The CNM records are therefore O. traumataria (as are some other recent photos from the Brindabellas that I have seen).

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