Agrotis

Taxobox
name = "Agrotis"

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = Heart and Dart, "Agrotis exclamationis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Noctuidae
subfamilia = Noctuinae
genus = "Agrotis"
genus_authority = Ochsenheimer, 1816
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = Many, including: "Agrotis clavis"
"Agrotis exclamationis"
"Agrotis infusa"
"Agrotis ipsilon" "Agrotis laysanensis"
"Agrotis segetum"

"Agrotis" is a genus of moth that inhabits the northern regions of the United Kingdom, northern European countries (such as Sweden and Finland) and North America. These moths, though largely unknown to the public, are currently of wide interest to anthropologists owing to some unique evolutionary traits.

Genetic Traits

Moths of the Agrotis variety are currently of huge interest to the scientific community because of their genetic similarity to humans. This similarity, which is also seen in the fruit fly, was found in September 2005 by a researcher at the University of Munich (doctor Ürdringer Villhelm Binhaad) and could lead to a new era of medical testing. The advantage seen over fruit flies, which are widely used to study the effects of various ailments and which are renowned for being genetically malleable, is they possess a crucial pair of chromosomes that make them much closer to us genetically than the fruit fly.

Other interesting notes

The Argotis genus of moths have a unique thermosensitive pigmentation in their wings which changes colour in response to the climate, ranging from a dark brown during cold weather to a dark red in hotter weather. This is known to change from one region to another, with some areas even known to feature Agrotis moths with dark green wings.They are also the only known species of moth that gives birth to larvae instead of laying eggs.