Castnia invaria

Castnia invaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Castniidae
Genus:	Castnia
Species:	C. invaria
Binomial name
Castnia invaria Walker, 1854[1]
Synonyms
Castnia penelope Schaufuss, 1870 Castnia eudelechia Druce, 1893 Castnia icaroides Houlbert, 1917 Castnia jordani Houlbert, 1917 Castnia (Elina) icarus penelope ab. endelechiodes Rothschild, 1919 Castnia minerva Krüger, 1926 Castnia icarus dividuus Röber, 1928 Castnia (Elvina[sic]) icarus f. hoehni Jörgensen, 1930 Castnia icarus patquiensis Breyer, 1943 Castnia icarus trinitatis Lathy, 1925 Castnia invaria volitans Lamas, 1995 Papilio icarus Cramer, [1775] Castnia f. paraguayensis Strand, 1913 Castnia juturna paraguayensis[2]

Castnia invaria is a moth in the Castniidae family. It is found in South America.

The length of the forewings is 62–80 mm. Adults are greyish brown with a blue-green hue. There are two parallel whitish bands on the hindwings that extend from the costal margin toward the inner angle (lower band) and the anal margin (upper band). A third, shorter and thinner, apical band extends from the costal margin to the inner angle. The hindwings are reddish with a greyish-brown base and two black or dark brown bands that form two bands of red spots.^[3]

The larvae feed on Ananas species (including Ananas comosus) and wild terrestrial Bromeliaceae species. The larvae form large tunnels in the centre of pineapple plants and at sometimes also feed on the flowers or young fruits.^[4]

Subspecies

• Castnia invaria invaria (Brazil: Rio Janeiro)
• Castnia invaria penelope Schaufuss, 1870 (Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin, from Venezuela and the Guianas to Paraguay, Chile and Argentina)
• Castnia invaria trinitatis Lathy, 1925 (Trinidad)
• Castnia invaria volitans Lamas, 1995 (Surinam, Venezuela, eastern Colombia)

References

1. Castnia at funet
2. A synopsis of the Castniidae (Lepidoptera) of Paraguay
3. Castniinae (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) From Venezuela. V: Castnia Fabricius and Telchin Hübner
4. The Castniid Palm Borer, Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1880), in Europe: Comparative biology, pest status and possible control methods (Lepidoptera: Castniidae)