| Mothra | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| General information | |||
| Universe | Godzilla | ||
| Aliases | モスラ (Mosura) Giant Moth Titanus Mosura | ||
| Classification | Mosura titanus | ||
| Species type | Titan Moth | ||
| Homeworld | Earth | ||
| Environment | Yunnan Rainforest, China | ||
| Intelligence | Semi-sapient | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based lifeform | ||
| Discovered | Unknown; known since the ancient past | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Lifespan | Lived forever | ||
| Reproduction | Asexual; Lays eggs | ||
| Average height | 200 feet | ||
| Average weight | 200,000 pounds | ||
| Average length | 52 feet (15.8 meters) | ||
| Average wingspan | 803 feet (244.8 meters) | ||
| Locomotion | Powered flight | ||
| Feeding behavior | Carnivorous | ||
| Prey | Feeds on other insects | ||
| Predators | No predators | ||
| Distinctive features | Blinding glow from bioluminescence | ||
| Eye color | Blue | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Cultural information | |||
| Alignment | Chaotic Good | ||
| Personality | Benevolent and peaceful | ||
| Organization | Solitary but in symbiosis with Godzilla | ||
| Language(s) | Alpha waves, sonar | ||
| Affiliation(s) | Godzilla | ||
| Capital city | Temple of the Moth | ||
| Leaders | Mothra | ||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Members | Mothra (namesake) Mothra Leo Battra (presumably) | ||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Planet | Earth | ||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Subkingdom | Eumetazoa | ||
| Infrakingdom | Bilateria | ||
| Superphylum | Ecdysozoa (Animals that grow by molting an exoskeleton) | ||
| Phylum | Arthropoda (Arthropods) | ||
| Subphylum | Hexapoda (Arthropods with six legs) | ||
| Class | Insecta (Insects) | ||
| Subclass | Pterygota (Winged insects) | ||
| Infraclass | Neoptera (Insects that can flex their wings over their abdomens) | ||
| Superorder | Panorpida (Reduction or loss of the ovipositor) | ||
| Order | Lepidoptera (Moths and butterflies) | ||
| Suborder | Glossata (Lepidopteran with a coilable proboscis) | ||
| Infraorder | Heteroneura (Lepidopterans with dissimilar wing venation between both sets of wings) | ||
| Superfamily | Bombycoidea (Silk moths, emperor moths, sphinx moths, and relatives) | ||
| Family | Saturniidae (Saturniids or Saturn Moths) | ||
| Subfamily | Saturniinae (Emperor moths) | ||
| Genus | Mosura | ||
| Species | M. titanus | ||
| Other information | |||
| Status | Immortality (all the others went extinct) | ||
| First sighting | 1961 | ||
| Last sighting | 2019 | ||
| Possible population | 1 | ||
Mothra, also less commonly known by its more proper name, the Giant Moth, or Titanus Mosura, (Mosura titanus) is a massive species of emperor moth indigenous to the Yunnan Rainforest of China. Like the numerous other Titans on Earth, they are critically endangered, with only one known specimen existing at a time. They are in direct symbiosis with the King of Monsters, a giant Godzillasaurus-evolved Titan named Godzilla.
Morphology[]
The instar stage of a Mothra.
Mothra begins their lifecycle in a large gelatinous egg that remains dormant until the Earth reaches a certain state of peril, though they can presumably be woken up early through the use of alpha wave generation. Upon emerging their instar form appears as a giant segmented caterpillar. These segments are rounded, ending in a small head in comparison to the rest of the body. They possess patches that produce bioluminescence throughout the body, normally emitting a soft blue light but changing to a red color when the instar feels threatened, possibly as a defensive scare tactic. If necessary, the instar can spit sticky silk from its mouth; while this will incapacitate a fellow Titan, it will seemingly kill humans due to the sheer force it is projected at.
Soon after hatching the instar will crawl under a waterfall and pupate into a cocoon where it will absorb the necessary energy to metamorphose into its imago state.
The imago state is a massive moth. Unlike other Titan Moths they have long hind legs and four forelimbs with one pair being larger than the other. All six end in hooked raptorial claws. Again, the head is small in comparison to the white-furred body and is adorned with a tuft of orange fur at the forehead. Their eyes are ovaloid and blue in hue. The antennae are feathery and white, and typically will lay flat against the top of the head.
This stage is best known for its gigantic compound wings, with the front set being significantly larger than the rear set. These wings are covered in intricate patterns of orange, yellow, and black, with large eyespots at the tips of the forewings that represent Godzilla's eyes. These wings emit a blindingly intense bioluminescent glow that shifts in color. The most fascinating technique of the wings is an ability known as the God Rays, concentrated beams of beta-wave bioluminescence emitted directly from the wing patterns. These lights are yellowish white in color and can be used to completely dispel storm clouds, although they seem to be more often used as a beacon to visually communicate with Godzilla.
Although the species is generally passive, the imago state has several defensive countermeasures at their disposal. Firstly, they can still spit sticky silk just as they could in their instar state. Their legs are also useful as makeshift raptorial limbs and can be used to strike at foes. Unlike any other known lepidopteran, this species of Mothra has retained its ovipositor and has modified it into a toxic stinger that, while not outright deadly, can temporarily paralyze a foe.
The Mothra's final defensive countermeasure is perhaps its most unique. As they are not nearly as resilient as the other Titan species, a Mothra will often perform a suicidal attack and upon death, its energy will be directed towards Godzilla to be absorbed by him. This overloads his body and causes him to temporarily produce nuclear pulses and intense heat as if at critical meltdown.
Notes[]
- It is often believed that all members of this species are one individual that is reincarnated periodically.