Gazoryctra macilentus

Gazoryctra macilentus commonly known as the Nothern ghost moth, is a moth species in the family Hepialidae. It is known from Siberia, the Russian Far East,^[1] Japan,^[2] Kazakhstan and Mongolia.^[3]

Gazoryctra macilentus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hepialidae
Genus:	Gazoryctra
Species:	G. macilentus
Binomial name
Gazoryctra macilentus (Eversmann, 1851)
Synonyms
Hepialus macilentus Eversmann, 1851 Ahamus macilentus Hepialus gerda Staudinger, 1898 Gazoryctra macilenata Tshistjakov, 1997 Gazoryctra spinifera Tshistjakov, 1997

This species is notable for its large, heavy-bodied appearance and ghostly pale wings, which often have slightly translucent quality, hence the common name.

Key Characteristics

• Appearance: G. macilentus adults have slender, elongated bodies with wings that appear almost translucent and pale. The coloration helps them camouflage among the foliage.
• Wingspan: The wingspan is relatively large, generally ranging between 50-70 mm, allowing them to glide smoothly through their environment.
• Larval Habitat: The larvae are root feeders and primarily feed on the roots of various forest plants. They are known to live underground, where they feed on the roots, trees and shrubs, making them an important part of the forest ecosystem as they help decompose organic matter.

Behavior

• Flight and Activity: Adults are usually active from dusk to dawn and may not be easily visible due to their cryptic color and patterns. They are generally short-lived, as they don't feed during the adult stage and primarily exist to reproduce.
• Life Cycle: Like other Hepialidae moths, G. macilentus has a two-stage life cycle-larvae develop underground over multiple years before emerging as adults to mate and lay eggs.

Ecological Role

While G. macilentus is not widely studied, species in the Hepialidae family are typically important for their role in soil health and nutrient cycling due to their root-feeding larval stage.

References

1. Nielsen, Ebbe S.; Robinson, Gaden S.; Wagner, David L. (2000). "Ghost-moths of the world: a global inventory and bibliography of the Exoporia (Mnesarchaeoidea and Hepialoidea) (Lepidoptera )" (PDF). Journal of Natural History. 34 (6): 823–878. doi:10.1080/002229300299282. S2CID 86004391.
2. Japanese Moths
3. "Hepialidae collection of Siberian Zoological Museum". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-02-24.