Hista fabricii

Hista fabricii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Castniidae
Genus:	Hista
Species:	H. fabricii
Binomial name
Hista fabricii (Swainson, 1823)
Synonyms
Castnia fabricii Swainson, 1823 Castnia boisduvalii Walker, 1854 Castnia herrichii Herrich-Schäffer, [1854] Castnia ciela Herrich-Schäffer, [1855] Castnia besckei Ménétriés, 1857 Castnia boisduvali Schaufuss, 1870 (not Walker, 1854) Castnia papagaya Westwood, 1877 Castnia papagaya f. grandensis Strand, 1913 Castnia similis Röber, 1927 Castnia boisduvali f. interrupta Spitz, 1930

Hista fabricii is a moth in the Castniidae family. It is found in Brazil. It mainly occurs in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country, in areas of the Atlantic Forest.

The length of the forewings is 34 mm for males and 42 mm for females. The forewings are dark brown with two or three hyaline (glassy) spots at the apex. The hindwings are reddish orange with an extradiscal spotband resembling a spiral. Adults are on wing from September to April.

There are some records of larvae foraging in Tillandsia aeranthos, but the food plant is unknown. Pupation takes place in the ground at the base of trees covered with epiphytic Bromeliaceae.

Subspecies

• Hista fabricii fabricii (Brazil)
• Hista fabricii boisduvalii (Walker, 1854) (Brazil)
• Hista fabricii papagaya (Westwood, 1877) (Brazil)

Etymology

The specific epithet is a tribute to Johan Christian Fabricius (1745-1808).

References

• Moraes, S.S.; Duarte, M.; González, J.M. 2010: Revision of Hista Oiticica (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) and discussion on the validity of its subspecies. Zootaxa, 2421: 1–27. Preview