Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

Male, Southern Arizona

Female, Southern Arizona

Male - Southeastern Texas

Female - Southeastern Texas

 

 

 

Ponometia fasciatella (Grote)

Spragueia fasciatella Grote, 1875, Canad. Ent., 7:225.

Diagnosis: Ponometia fasciatella is a small, non-descript, but never the less, sexually dimorphic species. The male is yellow-brown with almost not distinct maculation. Vague lighter bands are present and the outer margin of the wing is slightly darker than the rest of the wing. The female is gray-brown with stronger maculation. In particular the reniform is a distinct, darker circle. The lower half of the postmedial line is a double pair of dark brown lines. The hindwing is completely suffused with gray-brown. Forewing expanse from base to apex in one selected individual 8 mm.

Distribution: (Based only on specimens in the USNM). The southeastern and south-central "species" occurs in Florida, Arkansas, and eastern and central Texas. The southwestern "species is represented by specimens from Arizona. The southwestern distribution is surrounded by a violet patch in the distribution map.

Identification Quality: This "species" is probably actually two species, the first occurring in the southeastern and south-central United States and a second from Arizona (and probably other parts of the southwestern parts of the country. The name fasciatella (if indeed two species are present) refers to the eastern species and the southwestern species is currently nameless. The male of the southwestern species is variable, but is usually yellowish with little or no visible maculation. The southeastern species male has a more distinct maculation in the forewing and lacks the yellow, diffuse color of the southwestern male. The female has more distinct maculation and is very similar to the southwestern species, but usually has a more distinct tinge to the wing. There are apparently differences in the width of the valve of the male genitalia.

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Ponometia fasciatella

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