Cycnia inopinatus, the unexpected cycnia, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was described by Henry Edwards in 1882. It is found in the United States (Florida, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin)[1] and Mexico.[2] The habitat consists of high quality barrens remnants.

Cycnia inopinatus
Adult
Caterpillars feeding on Asclepias viridiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Cycnia
Species:
C. inopinatus
Binomial name
Cycnia inopinatus
(H. Edwards, 1882)
Synonyms
  • Euchaetes inopinatus H. Edwards, 1882
  • Euchaetes nivalis Stretch, 1906
  • Ammalo tenerosa Dyar, 1913

The wingspan is about 27 mm. Adults have been recorded on wing from April to August.

The larvae feed on Asclepias species.[3]

Etymology

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The species name is derived from Latin inopinatus (meaning unexpected, surprising).

Subspecies

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  • Cycnia inopinatus inopinatus
  • Cycnia inopinatus tenerosa (Dyar, 1913) (Mexico)

References

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  1. ^ "930402.00 – 8229 – Cycnia collaris – (Fitch, 1857)". Moth Photographers Group. Mississippi State University.
  2. ^ Savela, Markku. "Cycnia inopinatus (H. Edwards, 1882)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  3. ^ BugGuide