Mocis
genus of insects
Mocis is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae. The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner in 1823.
Lepidopterist David Wagner et al. state about the behaviour of Mocis larvae: "Unlike most catocaline larvae, Mocis caterpillars do not wriggle violently when accosted, but rather simply drop to the ground--a habit shared by many grass feeders--where their coloration blends in with dead, withered grass blades."
Species
Mocis alterna (Walker, 1858)
Mocis ancilla (Warren, 1913)
Mocis annetta (Butler, 1878) (= M. arabesca)
Mocis antillesia Hampson, 1913
Mocis bahamica Hampson, 1913
Mocis camptogramma Dognin, 1919
Mocis conveniens (Walker, 1858) (= M. detersa)
Mocis cubana Hampson, 1913
Mocis diffluens (Guenée, 1852)
Mocis diplocyma Hampson, 1913
Mocis discios Kollar, 1844
Mocis disseverans (Walker, 1858)
Mocis dolosa (Butler, 1880) (= M. nigrisigna)
Mocis dyndima (Stoll, 1782) (= M. dindyma, M. teligera)
Mocis escondida (Schaus, 1901)
Mocis frugalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Mocis guenei (Möschler, 1880)
Mocis incurvalis Schaus, 1923
Mocis inferna (Leech, 1900)
Mocis kagoshimaensis Kishida, 2010
Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (= M. collata, M. delinquens, M. exscindens, M. indentata, M. subtilis)
Mocis laxa (Walker, 1858) (= M. pavona)
Mocis marcida (Guenée, 1852)
Mocis mayeri (Boisduval, 1833) (= M. associata, M. diffundens, M. inconcisa, M. jugalis, M. pellita, M. subaenescens)
Mocis mutuaria (Walker, 1858) (= M. insulsa, M. judicans, M. nigrimacula, M. torpida)
Mocis paraguayica Hampson, 1913
Mocis persinuosa (Hampson, 1910)
Mocis phasianoides (Guenee, 1852)
Mocis propugnata (Leech, 1900)
Mocis proverai Zilli, 2000
Mocis ramifera Hampson, 1913
Mocis repanda (Fabricius, 1794)
Mocis sobria (Möschler, 1880)
Mocis texana (Morrison, 1875)
Mocis trifasciata (Stephens, 1830) (= M. demonstrans, M. discrepans)
Mocis undata (Fabricius, 1775)
Mocis undifera Hampson, 1913
Mocis vitiensis Hampson, 1913
Mocis xylomiges (Snellen, 1880)
Status unclear
Mocis punctularis, described as Noctua punctularis Hübner, [1808] from Europe.
Former species
Mocis bifasciata (Inoue & Sugi, 1961) (Melapia)
Mocis munda (Walker, 1865)
References
Inoue, H. & Sugi, S. (1961). "A new species of the genus Pelamia from Okinawa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Kontyû. 29 (3): 157–158.
Kishida, Y. (2010). "Descriptions of new species and new subspecies of Japanese Macrolepidoptera (2), with descriptions of 2 new genera".
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Mocis” is genus of insects. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Mocis, genus and insects, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “genus of insects” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1840292. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1823, 1858, 1913 and 1878.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Mocis”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Mocis primary sources, Mocis archive and Mocis research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Mocis”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Mocis” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.