Dusky Sweep
Acanthopsyche atra
Acanthopsyche atra, the dusky sweep, is a moth of the family Psychidae. The habitat consists of heath and moorland.
29
Countries
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) cossus, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Psychidae
Genus
Acanthopsyche
Dusky Sweep belongs to the family Psychidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Acanthopsyche atra, the dusky sweep, is a moth of the family Psychidae. The habitat consists of heath and moorland.
The Dusky Sweep faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat destruction from coastal development and pollution in its marine environment. Climate change and ocean acidification are increasingly impacting the coral reef ecosystems this species depends on for feeding and shelter.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Usually females lay their eggs in the pupal case. P L Jørgensen observed some females leaving their cases and dropping to the ground a few days after mating. The female, when free from its pupal case, looks and behaves like a fly maggot. Eleven were fed to a European robin (Erithacus rubecula) and its droppings collected over the next 24 hours. After two weeks, between thirty and forty larvae...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Dusky Sweep faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat destruction from coastal development and pollution in its marine environment. Climate change and ocean acidification are increasingly impacting the coral reef ecosystems this species depends on for feeding and shelter.
Climate change and ocean warming
Coastal development and habitat destruction
Coral reef degradation
Marine pollution and water quality degradation
Overfishing affecting food web dynamics
Found in 29 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Dusky Sweep (Acanthopsyche atra). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/dusky-sweep