Amata xanthura (Turner, 1905)
Southern Spotted Tiger Moth
 (previously known as Syntomis xanthura)
SYNTOMIINI,   CTENUCHINI,   ARCTIINAE,   EREBIDAE,   NOCTUOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Amata xanthura
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Marriott, Moths of Victoria - Part 2)

The adult moths of this species rather resemble wasps. The wings are basically black, with pale yellow translucent spots on each wing. The body has transverse black and yellow bands. The moths have a wingspan of about 3.5 cms. The hindwings are only about half the span of the forewings, and each has a single translucent yellow area in the shape of an irregular hourglass.

Amata xanthura
underside
(Photo: copyright of Brett and Marie Smith at Ellura Sanctuary, South Australia)

Specimens have been taken in

  • Northern Territory,
  • New South Wales,
  • Australian Capital Territory,
  • Victoria, and
  • South Australia.

    Further reading :

    Peter Marriott,
    Moths of Victoria - Part 2,
    Tiger Moths and Allies - NOCTUOIDEA (A)    ,
    Entomological Society of Victoria, 2009, pp. 28-29.

    A. Jefferis Turner,
    Revision of Australian Lepidoptera II,
    Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales,
    Volume 29 (1905), p. 843, No. 11.

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    (updated 7 November 2009, 13 May 2018, 9 October 2020)