Leucania multilinea is nearly identical to Leucania lapidaria. Leucania lapidaria has the same approximate range as Leucania multilinea. Leucania lapidaria is slightly smaller and the hind wing is all white without the brown suffusion of the margin found in multilinea. If mixed series of the two species are collected from the same locality, they can usually be sorted by the difference in size and the hindwing. However isolated specimens can be difficult to identify without dissection of the male genitalia. The vesica of the male genitalia (the evertible portion of the aedeagous) of lapidaria has a single large spine on a separate diverticulum in addition to the row of smaller spines found in both species. This spine is absent in multilinea. Leucania phragmatidicola is a smoother appearing species and lacks a dark, slanting stripe from the base of the forewing inner margin. Leucania commoides has the same basic maculation as multilinea and lapidaria, but is darker and the hindwing is completely suffused with dark gray-brown. Leucania lapidaria (Grote)
Diagnosis: A species of the northern United States and southern Canada. Forewing light straw-brown. Wing with a striate appearance. A white line runs from the base of the wing to the discal dot, this white line accented below with dark brown. Discal dot a small, black dot. A dark brown line slants outward from the lower wing margin (inner margin) from near the base of the wing. Hindwing pure white, with only a few vague black spots along the outer margin. Distribution: Leucania lapidaria occurs primarily in the northeastern United States from Maine in the north to western Maryland in the south, westward to Ohio and Michigan. A single specimen from Houston, Texas is anomalous, but is neither mislabeled or misidentified. Identification Quality: Excellent Habitat: Leucania lapidaria is a species of the deciduous and transitional biomes of the northeastern Uniteds States. However no information on specific habitats is available. Foodplants: Glyceria canadensis (Poaceae) (HOSTS, 2005, Gaden Robinson, Natural History Museum, London. Larval Description: None available. |
Leucania lapidaria
Similar Species: Leucania multilinea Leucania phragmatidicola Leucania commoides
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Similar Species |