Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

Male

Female

 

 

Tarache quadriplaga (Smith)

Acontia quadriplaga Smith, 1900, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 27:73.

Acontia alessandra Smith, 1903, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 29:212.

Diagnosis: The male of quadriplaga is approximately the same size in wing expanse as Tarache aprica and has the same general appearance. The basal and medial areas are typically white, although some specimens have extensive gray motteling in the basal area. The oribicular is absent in all male specimens I have examined. There is small, triangular dark spot on the costa of the forewing where the antemedial line would be if it were present. The hindwing is whitish with a strong yellow-tan tinge. The female is more darkly marked with the basal and medial areas dark brown, although the base of the basal area is often heavily suffused with light gray. The hindwing is considerably darker than in the male.  The costal margin of the right vale of the male genitalia and a single spike-like projection.  The projection in tetragona is rounded and double.

Distribution: (Based only on specimens in the USNM). Tarache quadriplaga ranges from Texas and extreme northeastern Mexico in the east westward through New Mexico and southern Arizona. The type of the synonym was supposedly collected in Utah.

Adults have been collected between May and October.

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Distribution map based on specimens in the USNM

Tarache quadriplaga

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