Axia or the "Gold Moths" is a genus of moths whose precise relationships within the Macrolepidoptera[2] are currently uncertain, but they currently represent a superfamily whose nearest relatives include the butterflies, Calliduloidea, Drepanoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea, Mimallonoidea and Lasiocampoidea, and the Noctuoidea. Uniquely, they have a pair of pocket-like organs on the seventh abdominal spiracle of the adult moth ^[1] which are only possibly sound receptive organs ^[2]. They are quite large and brightly coloured moths that occur only in Southern Europe and feed on species of Euphorbia. Sometimes they are attracted to light ^[1].

One species, Epicimelia theresiae, was formerly included in this genus, but has since been recognized as distinct; it is the only other described species in the family.^[3]

References

Sources

• De Freina, J.J. and Witt, T.J, (1987) Die Bombyces und Sphinges der Westpalearktis.; ISBN 3-926285-00-1
• Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002

External links

• Axia margarita
• Markku Savela's website
• Fauna Europaea