Yellow-tail

For other uses, see Yellowtail (disambiguation).

Yellow-tail
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Genus: Euproctis
Species:
E. similis
Binomial name
Euproctis similis
(Füssli, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
  • Phalaena similis Fuessly, 1775
  • Bombyx auriflua Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
  • Porthesia nyctea Grum-Grshimailo, 1891
  • Porthesia rebeli Haberhauer, 1902
  • Porthesia similis (Fuessly, 1775)
  • Porthesia similis var. xanthocampa Dyar, 1905
  • Porthesia similis ab. trimaculata Strand, 1913
  • Porthesia similis ab. quadrimaculata Strand, 1913
  • Porthesia similis f. coreaceola Matsumura, 1933
  • Porthesia similis sjöquisti Bryk, 1942
  • Porthesia similis variabilina Bryk, [1949]
  • Euproctis similis (Fuessly, 1775)

The yellow-tail, goldtail moth or swan moth (Sphrageidus similis) is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johann Kaspar Füssli in 1775, and has commonly been placed within the related genus Euproctis.[2] It is distributed throughout Europe to the Urals, then east across the Palearctic to Siberia[3] and south to India and Sri Lanka.[4]

This species has a wingspan of 35–45 mm, the female usually noticeably larger than the male. All parts of the adults are pure white, apart from a bright yellow tip to the abdomen (larger in the female) and a small black or brown tornal mark on the forewing of the male.

early instar caterpillar
  1. ^ Amritpal Singh Kaleka, Devinder Singh & Gagan Preet Kour Bali (2020) Present status of the genus Sphrageidus Maes, 1984 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae) from India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(9): 16153–16160. doi:10.11609/jott.5302.12.9.16153-16160
  2. ^ Savela, Markku (2 July 2019). "Euproctis similis (Fuessly, 1775)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  3. ^ Colour Atlas of Siberian Lepidoptera
  4. ^ Fonseka, Avijja (28 May 2012). "Yellow tail moth caterpillar from Talangama wetlands, Sri Lanka". flickr.com. Retrieved 15 June 2016.