Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

 

 

Ponometia huita (Smith), NEW COMBINATION

Acontia huita Smith, 1903, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 29:213.

Diagnosis: The basal half of the forewing is pure white, triangular, with the tip of the triangle pointing toward the reniform. The is a small olive-green triangle on the costa pointing downward toward the upper edge of a large, triangular, olive-green mark arising from the inner angle. The latter, olive-green triangle has a set of two light gray irregular triangles outlined with a few light scales. There is no distinct white, wiggley subterminal line. The reniform is gray with a white, curved line inside. The fringe is white with indistinct gray patches. The hindwing is white, but infuscated with dull gray-brown. Wing length from base to apex in one selected individual 10 mm.

Distribution: (Based only on specimens in the USNM). This species occurs in central and southwestern Texas west to southern Arizona. Ponometia huita is also known from south-central Mexico.

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Distribution map based on specimens in the USNM

Ponometia huita

Ponometia huita is most likely to be confused with binocula. The large, dark patch in the outer half of the forewing of binocula is narrower than in huita. In addition the dark area of binocula has a narrow, white, squiggley line in the position of the subterminal line and lacks a pair of light gray, roughly triangular patches outlined with white near the postmedial line. In contrast huita has the light gray triangles and lacks a white, squiggley subterminal line.

Ponometia virginalis has the basal half of the forewing lightly tinged with yellow in contrast to the pure white basal forewing found in huita.

The dark, large patch of the distal half of the forewing of candefacta is dark and distinctly tinged with dark brown. In contrast this patch is completely olive-green in huita.

Similar Species

Ponometia virginalis

Ponometia binocula

Ponometia candefacta