Comet moth
| Comet moth | |
|---|---|
| Adult male | |
| Adult female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Saturniidae |
| Genus: | Argema |
| Species: | A. mittrei |
| Binomial name | |
| Argema mittrei (Guérin-Méneville, 1847) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The comet moth or Madagascan moon moth (Argema mittrei) is a moth native to the rain forests of Madagascar. The species was first described by Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville in 1847. The adult moth cannot feed and only lives for 4 to 5 days. Although endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, the comet moth has been bred in captivity. The genus name Argema is Greek for "speckled eye" referencing the abundance of eyespots on their wings, warding off predators.