Ammoconia senex
Female moths of Ammoconia senex
Ammoconia senex, also known as the Middle Rhine Valley - Frühherbsteule or Mittelrheintal - Graseule, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
With a wingspan from 36 to 46 millimeters count the butterflies of the medium sized owl butterflies. The basic coloration of the forewing varies from white through gray ash up to blue-gray. The transverse lines and the wavy line are often formed indistinct. Kidney and ring stain are large, shimmering in the shade of the base color and are surrounded thin. At the hem there are some very small lip stains. In the male specimens the hind wings are white, gray-brown in females with whitish fringe.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The egg has a hemispherical shape with a highly flattened base and is provided with straight ribs. The Mikropylzone is sunk. It is characterized by reddish-yellow color, which shows a multiple interrupted reddish brown napkin and just such spots in the middle.
Younger caterpillars have a green color, and are provided with a bright line of the back and an equally colored side stripes. In the adult animals predominate red-green or green-gray colors. On the back of a dark mottling is visible. Both the top line and the side stripes are fine, whitish in color and black surround.
The maroon doll has a stick-shaped, provided with two strong spines, wrinkled cremaster.
Similar Species
Falter the duns Frühherbsteule ( Ammoconia caecimacula ) show predominantly gray-brown color elements. Also, it differs by a striking thickening of the inner transverse line. While Ammoconia aholai and Ammoconia innominate be easily distinguished by a darkened midfield, the very similar, occurring in Crete and the southern part of the Peloponnese Ammoconia reisseri be unequivocally distinguished from senex only by a genitalmorphologische investigation.
Geographical distribution and habitat
Ammoconia senex is widespread in Mediterranean Europe. An isolated occurrence is located on the Middle Rhine. The species occurs also in Turkey, the Caucasus, Iraq and Iran. It is divided into several geographical subspecies:
- Ssp. senex in the northern Mediterranean region,
- Ssp. mediorhenana the Middle Rhine,
- Ssp. typhoea in Sicily,
- Ssp. wagneri in Bulgaria,
- Ssp. Victoris in Turkey,
- Ssp. rjabovi in Dagestan and
- Ssp. transhamadanensis in Iran.
The animals are mainly in dry, rocky areas, to be found on warm slopes, sunny slopes or glades.
Way of life
The moths are nocturnal and live in September and October, sometimes into November. They are very strongly attracted by artificial light sources and baits. As food plants of the mainly living from May to July crawler low plants are specified, for example, plantain ( Plantago ) and dandelion species ( Taraxacum ). Overwintering stage is the egg.
Endangering
The species occurs in Germany only on the middle Rhine and is run on the Red List of endangered species in Category 2 ( high risk ).