Amerila

Amerila
Amerila crokeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Division: Ditrysia
Family: Arctiidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Amerila
Walker, 1855
Synonyms
  • Euthoracia Hulstaert, 1923
  • Canopus Walker, 1855
  • Phryganeomorpha Wallengren, 1858
  • Amblythyris Mabille, 1879
  • Gastrochrysia Kiriakoff, 1954

Amerila is a genus of moth in the family Arctiidae. A number of species in this genus have a special defence mechanism when they are in their adult stage. When disturbed, they exude a frothy yellow fluid from glands beside the eyes, while making a sizzling noise to ward off their attacker. Similar behaviour has been observed in fertilised females of the North-American moth Utetheisa ornatrix.

Species

Incorrectly placed species

Note

Caryatis species are not morphologically related to Amerila.

References

External links

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