Xestia speciosa

Xestia speciosa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Xestia
Species:	X. speciosa
Binomial name
	Xestia speciosa; (Hübner, [1813])
Synonyms
	Noctua speciosa Hübner, [1813] ; Anomogyna speciosa; Ophiusa schoenherri Herrich-Schäffer, [1852] (preocc.); Aplecta schoennherri Guenée, 1852; Hadena arctica Zetterstedt, 1839; Xestia baltica Valle, 1940; Aplectoides livalis Smith, 1910; Anomogyna aklavicensis Benjamin, 1933; Acronycta mixta Walker, 1856; Xestia apropitia (Benjamin, 1933) ; Anomogyna apropitia Benjamin, 1933;

Xestia speciosa is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in northern Europe, including Fennoscandia, the Baltic region, parts of Russia, north Asia, the Pacific Ocean and Japan. It is also found in the mountainous areas of central and southern Europe and north-western North America.

Some authors treat Xestia apropitia as a valid species, while Mikkola, Lafontaine, and Kononenko (1996) placed it as a subspecies of Xestia speciosa.

The wingspan of ssp. speciosa is 38–50 mm. Subspecies arctica has a wingspan of 36–45 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation.

The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including Vaccinium myrtillus, Lonicera nigra, and Betula nana.

Subspecies

Note that only speciosa, arctica, and modesta are confirmed subspecies. The other listed subspecies need further study to confirm their status. Xestia viridescens is sometimes included here as another subspecies.

Generally accepted

Xestia speciosa speciosa (Hübner, 1813) (Germany)
Xestia speciosa modesta (Alps)
Xestia speciosa arctica (Zetterstedt 1839) (northern Europe, northern Canada south to the northern parts of the mountains in Alberta)

Disputed

Xestia speciosa aegrota (Alpheraky 1897) (Siberia, northern Mongolia)
Xestia speciosa aklavikensis (Nearctic)
Xestia speciosa apropitia (Benjamin, 1933) (Colorado)
Xestia speciosa baltica (Valle 1940)
Xestia speciosa janae Herz, 1903
Xestia speciosa livalis (Nearctic)
Xestia speciosa mixta
Xestia speciosa rybatchiensis Kotzsch 1934
Xestia speciosa ussurica (north-eastern Siberia to Korea and Japan)

External links

Lepiforum e. V.
Schmetterlinge-Deutschlands.de
Anweiler, G. G. (2007). "Species Details Xestia speciosa". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved November 8, 2020.

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