anota

Anota is a genus of moths belonging to the family Crambidae, order Lepidoptera. The genus was first described by the French entomologist Achille Guenée in 1854, and it is placed within the subfamily Spilomelinae. Species of Anota are typically small to medium sized, with wingspans ranging from 15 to 30 mm, and display a variety of colour patterns that often include shades of brown, gray, and white with distinctive markings useful for species identification.

The known distribution of Anota species is primarily tropical and subtropical, covering parts of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Habitat preferences include lowland rainforests, forest edges, and occasionally cultivated areas where host plants are present. Larvae of Anota are phytophagous, feeding on a range of herbaceous and woody plants, with several species recorded on members of the families Asteraceae and Poaceae. Adult moths are nocturnal and are attracted to light, which facilitates their collection for scientific study.

Taxonomically, the genus currently contains around a dozen described species, although taxonomic revisions and molecular studies suggest that additional cryptic species may exist. Research on Anota contributes to broader understanding of Spilomelinae diversity, phylogeny, and the ecological roles of moths in tropical ecosystems.