Coast Myall vs Common Flat-body

Acacia binervia compared with Agonopterix heracliana

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Coast Myall Common Flat-body
Kingdom Plantae (Plants) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicots) Insecta (Insects)
Order Fabales (Legumes & Allies) Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family Fabaceae Depressariidae
Genus Acacia Agonopterix
Species Acacia binervia Agonopterix heracliana

Conservation Status

Coast Myall

LC — Least Concern

Common Flat-body

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Coast Myall Common Flat-body
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coast Myall

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Flat-body

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Coast Myall

Coast myall (Acacia binervia) is a small to medium tree or tall shrub in the family Fabaceae, native to coastal and near-coastal regions of New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It grows in coastal heath, dry sclerophyll woodland, and scrubby vegetation on sandy or rocky substrates, often in association with banksias and eucalypts. Like most Australian wattles, coast myall produces phyllodes—flattened leaf-stalks functioning as leaves—rather than true compound leaves in mature plants. The dark green phyllodes are distinctive, with two main veins, giving rise to the species name binervia. Golden-yellow, spherical flower heads are produced in winter to spring, attracting native bees. The genus Acacia sensu lato encompasses hundreds of species across Australia and globally, many of which play important ecological roles in nitrogen cycling through root symbioses. Coast myall is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is sometimes planted in coastal revegetation projects for its tolerance of poor, sandy soils, drought, and salt-laden winds.

Common Flat-body

<em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is a moth belonging to the family Depressariidae within the order Lepidoptera. Commonly known as the common flat-body, this species is named for the flattened resting posture characteristic of the genus Agonopterix. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with no indication of significant population decline. <em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is distributed across northwestern Europe, with documented occurrences in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Larvae of this species are typically associated with plants in the family Apiaceae, particularly hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and related umbellifers, upon which they feed while sheltering in rolled or folded leaves. Adults are typically brownish with subtle markings and are active from late summer through winter and early spring, overwintering as adults — an unusual life history trait among moths. The species inhabits hedgerows, woodland margins, and meadows where its host plants are abundant. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia