Watsonarctia


Watsonarctia is a monotypic moth genus in the subfamily Arctiinae erected by Josef J. de Freina and Thomas Joseph Witt in 1984. Its only species, Watsonarctia deserta, the chaste pellicle, was first described by Max Bartel in 1902. It is found in central and south-eastern Europe, southern Russia, southern Siberia east to Lake Baikal; also in Asia Minor, Armenia, Azerbaijan, northern Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang in China.
The wingspan is 26–32 mm.
The larvae feed on Asperula, Achillea and Galium species.

Subspecies

  • Watsonarctia deserta deserta
  • Watsonarctia deserta karduchena
  • Watsonarctia deserta centralasiae
  • Watsonarctia deserta elbursica Dubatolov & Zahiri, 2005