Proxenus

Herrich-Schäffer, 1850

Species Guides

3

Proxenus is a of in the Noctuidae, Noctuinae. The genus was temporarily synonymized with Athetis by Poole in 1989 but was reinstated as a valid genus in 2010. in this genus are attracted to ultraviolet light and have been documented at moth-collecting events in California.

Proxenus miranda by (c) brendanboyd, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.CATALOGUE-BM-PLATE CXXXIII by Sir GEORGE F. HAMPSON, Bart.. Used under a Public domain license.- 9647 – Proxenus miranda – Miranda Moth (21033620803) by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Proxenus: /prɒkˈsiːnəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Proxenus are noctuid distinguished from the related Athetis by genitalic and morphological characters that led to the genus being reinstated in 2010. Specific identification to species level often requires examination of genitalia.

Images

Distribution

Documented from California, USA, with records from -lighting events at the University of California, Davis. Distribution records also include Denmark (GBIF).

Seasonality

have been observed in July and August in California.

Behavior

are and attracted to ultraviolet light sources. They have been documented at blacklighting displays used for surveys.

Human Relevance

Documented in citizen science and museum outreach events, including Night at the Bohart Museum of Entomology.

Similar Taxa

  • AthetisProxenus was historically included within Athetis by Poole in 1989 due to morphological similarities, but was reinstated as a separate in 2010 based on distinguishing characters.

More Details

Taxonomic History

The was synonymized with Athetis in 1989 but reinstated as valid in 2010, reflecting ongoing revisionary work in Noctuidae .

Documented Species

Proxenus mindara is one in the , tentatively identified at UC Davis Night events.

Sources and further reading