Insects
Moths (Lepidoptera)
Swift and Ghost moths (Hepialidae)
Sighting 4483913

Oxycanus (genus)

1 Unidentified Oxycanus moths at Bundanoon, NSW

Oxycanus (genus) at Bundanoon, NSW - 21 Apr 2023 12:33 PM
Oxycanus (genus) at Bundanoon, NSW - 21 Apr 2023 12:33 PM
Oxycanus (genus) at Bundanoon, NSW - 21 Apr 2023 12:33 PM
Oxycanus (genus) at Bundanoon, NSW - 21 Apr 2023 12:33 PM
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Identification history

Oxycanus (genus) 7 Jun 2025 donhe
Oxycanus (genus) 6 Jun 2025 ibaird
Oxycanus sirpus 6 Jun 2025 WendyEM
Elhamma australasiae 21 Apr 2023 Aussiegall

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User's notes

I found it on the footpath so picked it up and popped it on a tree so no one would tread on it, I think it was on its last legs

6 comments

donhe wrote:
   6 Jun 2025
@WendyEM : how does one distinguish E. sirpus without using DNA or dissecting the genitalia ?
ibaird wrote:
   6 Jun 2025
My doubt this is O. sirpus was looking at the MoV visual key (Part 6) which shows O. sirpus antennae in the male are yellow/straw coloured with short rami. Looking at the antennae here in Photoshop they have a different apparently longer rami which seem to be orange coloured. Although the forewing markings suggest O. sirpus we know they the forewing markings are highly variable in Oxycanus (genus). iNaturalist also indicates O. sirpus occurs mainly in southern Victoria. This sighting is from the Southern Highlands NE from Canberra.
WendyEM wrote:
   6 Jun 2025
ditto many of this group incl. O. australis and O. dirempta. I was looking at examples on BOLD, iNat (Research grade) and Moths of Victoria and trying for the best match I could find for the colour, markings and antennae. Location may be too far north for this sp. I had thought it was close enough.
WendyEM wrote:
   7 Jun 2025
time to now ID the remaining ~ 20 unverified Oxycanus moths on the system as Oxycanus sp.
go to
https://naturemapr.org/categories/sightings/256?filter=unverified
Aussiegall wrote:
   7 Jun 2025
Thank you for the identification
WendyEM wrote:
   7 Jun 2025
I am sorry it has taken so long. Sadly Oxycanus are hard to tell apart and identify to species level using only wing pattern. It is a handsome moth.

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Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • 50mm or larger Animal size
  • Unknown Gender

Species information

Record quality

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  • More than one media file
  • Verified by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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