Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 14, 2026

Cebysa

Cebysa leucotelus, the Australian bagmoth or lichen bag moth, is a moth of the Psychidae family. It is the only species in the genus Cebysa. It is found in New Zealand and the southern half of Australia.

Last revised
Jun 14, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
177 w
Citations
3
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Cebysa
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Psychidae
Subfamily: Taleporiinae
Genus: Cebysa
Walker, 1854
Species:
C. leucotelus
Binomial name
Cebysa leucotelus
Walker, 1854
Synonyms
  • Pitane dilecta Walker, 1854
  • Sezeris conflictella Walker, 1863
  • Oecinea scotti Scott, 1864
  • Cebysa leucoteles Meyrick, 1912

Cebysa leucotelus, the Australian bagmoth or lichen bag moth, is a moth of the Psychidae family. It is the only species in the genus Cebysa.1 It is found in New Zealand and the southern half of Australia (Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia).

Larva in case source ↗
Female lichen bag moth, with underdeveloped wings. source ↗

The larvae build a protective bag like the other bag moths in the family Psychidae, and feed on lichen and algae.2

Lichen bag moths arrived in New Zealand from Australia in 1981 and have been gradually spreading across the country.2

References

References

  1. "Cebysa Walker, 1854". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  2. Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland: Penguin. p. 33. ISBN 0-14-100636-6.
External links