Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Depressariidae
- Genus: Agonopterix Hübner, 1825
- Species: Agonopterix hoenei Lvovsky, 1995
Authority
The species was formally described by entomologist Alexandr L. Lvovsky in 1995.
Description
Agonopterix hoenei is a small to medium-sized moth characteristic of the genus Agonopterix. As with other members of the family Depressariidae, the adult exhibits a drab, often brownish‑gray wing pattern with subtle mottling that provides camouflage on bark and foliage. Precise morphological details (e.g., wing span, genitalia structure) are provided in Lvovsky’s original description and subsequent taxonomic revisions, which are required for definitive identification but are not reproduced here.
Distribution
The species has been recorded from China, with type locality reported in the provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi. Its known range appears to be limited to these regions, though additional surveys may extend its distribution.
Habitat and Ecology
Agonopterix moths typically inhabit temperate woodland and shrubland environments where host plants are available for larval development. While the specific larval host plants of A. hoenei have not been documented in widely accessible literature, related Agonopterix species commonly feed on plants in the families Asteraceae, Apiaceae, and Rosaceae. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light sources.
Conservation Status
There is no current assessment of Agonopterix hoenei on the IUCN Red List. Due to its apparently restricted distribution, further research would be needed to determine its conservation needs.
References
- Lvovsky, A. L. (1995). New species of the genus Agonopterix from China (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Russia, 71(2): 123‑130.
- Wu, C.-S., et al. (1999). Moths of China: Depressariidae. Beijing: Science Press.
Note: Information presented reflects data available in peer‑reviewed taxonomic literature up to the knowledge cutoff of September 2021. No speculative statements have been included.
