Yellowtail moth
| Yellowtail moth | |
|---|---|
| File:Hylesia metabus Cramer&Stoll-uitlandsche kapellen vol. 1- plate 074.jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Saturniidae |
| Genus: | Hylesia |
| Species: | H. metabus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hylesia metabus (Cramer, 1775)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The yellowtail moth or ashen moth (Hylesia metabus) is a species of moth found in northeastern South America. Contact with the urticating hairs of adult female moths is known to cause a cutaneous condition called the Caripito itch.[2] [3][4] The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775.
These moths are mainly found along the mangrove swamps of Venezuela and Guyana. The adult moths however swarm to lights in nearby towns and the urticating hairs are released into the air leading to severe urticarial and papulovesicular dermatitis. Hairs from male moths do not cause any symptoms.[5]
These special hairs are used by the females to protect their egg masses from predators such as ants.[6]
References
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). Open access icon
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
- Moth information on Hylesia metabus—(in French)
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