Lichenaula calligrapha
Lichenaula calligrapha is a small moth in the Xyloryctidae family. It lives in rainforest areas of eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to Victoria, and has also been found in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Tasmania. The species was described by Meyrick in 1890 and has also been called Xylorycta calligrapha.
Adults are about 16–17 mm long and fly in November and January. Both males and females are white, with black markings on the head, palpi, antennae, thorax, legs, and especially the forewings. The hindwings are whitish grey.
Forewings are elongated with a gently curved leading edge and an ochreous-white background. They feature several black markings: a spot at the base of the costa, a spot near the base on the inner margin, an irregular black-edged streak from beyond the middle toward the inner fold, an upright mark near the anal angle, two small marks toward the apex, and some scattered black scales near the tip. The fringe (cilia) is ochreous-white with grey bars and a broken black line.
Hindwings are whitish grey, lighter toward the front, with a grey-white fringe.
Three specimens have been recorded from Sydney (NSW) and Launceston (Tasmania). The larvae probably feed on lichens.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:09 (CET).