What is "acontia"

Acontia \A*con"ti*a\, n. pl. [NL., from Gr. ? a little dart.] (Zo["o]l.) Threadlike defensive organs, composed largely of nettling cells (cnid[ae]), thrown out of the mouth or special pores of certain Actini[ae] when irritated. [1913 Webster] ||

n. (context zoology English) Threadlike defensive organs, composed largely of nettling cells (cnidae), thrown out of the mouth or special pores of certain ''Actiniae'' when irritated.

Acontia is a genus of moths of the Noctuidae family. Eusceptis, Pseudalypia and Spragueia are sometimes included in the present genus, but here they are tentatively treated as different pending further research. Many species of Tarache were also once placed here (see below).