Elasmia mandela is a species of moth of the family Notodontidae first described by Herbert Druce in 1887. It occurs in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the US states of Texas and Oklahoma.
| Elasmia mandela | |
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| Male | |
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| Female | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Notodontidae |
| Genus: | Elasmia |
| Species: | E. mandela
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| Binomial name | |
| Elasmia mandela (H. Druce, 1887)
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| Synonyms | |
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Overall colour is dark grey brown with obscure transverse forewing markings. Males and females are similar in appearance. Elasmia mandela santaana is grey overall with a contrasting dark scale patch in the reniform/subreniform area.[1] Adults are on wing from April to early October.
The larvae have been recorded feeding on Rhamnaceae and Sapindaceae species, including Unganadia speciosa for subspecies Elasmia mandela santaana.
Subspecies edit
- Elasmia mandela mandela (Mexico and Costa Rica)
- Elasmia mandela santaana Metzler & Knudson, 2011 (Texas, Oklahoma and probably Mexico)
Etymology edit
The name of subspecies Elasmia mandela santaana refers to its type locality, the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.
References edit
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