Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Crambidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Thliptoceras | |
Thliptoceras anthropophilum is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Bänziger in 1987. It is found in Thailand (Chiengmai) and China (Yunnan).
The wingspan is 22–23 mm. The forewings are light yellow to greyish yellow, with greyish shadows. Adult males are zoophilous and have been observed sucking perspiration from the skin of humans and lachrymal fluids near the eye of Indian elephants. Other specimens flew around elephants or sucked its body fluids from the vegetation onto which they had been smeared.
Etymology
The species name refers to its most remarkable behavioural patterns, i.e. to have a liking for man.
References
Thliptoceras anthropophilum Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA