Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

 

Male

Female

 

 

Tarache axendra (Schaus)

Tarache axendra Schaus, 1898, J. New York Ent. Soc., 6:118.

Diagnosis: The male has the costal half of the forewing almost entirely white except at the apex, a slight brown spot at the inception of the antemedial line, and a dark brown streak from the costa to the rear margin of the reniform. The darker patches of the forewing are entirely brown, not yellowish green. The lower half of the forewing is dark brown. The upper margin of the lower brown portion of the wing is either nearly unbroken, or at most with a slight, triangular indentation. The lower half of the subterminal area is suffused with white, but lacks are large, clearly defineds white area. The fringe is brown with two upper white streaks. The female is similar to the male, but the costal brown mark at the position of the antemedial line is larger and curves downward reaching the brown lower two-thirds of the forewing. The brown lower part of the forewing is larger and taller than in the male. Wing expanse from base to apex in one selected individual 11 mm.

Distribution: (Based only on material in the USNM). Tarache axendra occurs throughout most of the southwestern United States from western Texas in the east, westward through New Mexico, Arizona, and into southern California. The species occurs in scattered locations in Mexico and, in fact, was originally described from the state of Jalisco.

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Tarache axendra

Male

Female

The absence of yellowish-green tints to the markings along the forewing costa will separate axendra from Tarache lanceolata and bilimeki. Tarache new species 2 has much more extensive light markings along the outer margin of the forewing than does axendra.

The costal areas of both the male and female of axendra are pure white. In contrast, the costal regions of huachuca are a yellowish-white. The male of huachuca lacks a dark streak from the costa to behind the reniform, or if a streak is present, consists of two weak, parallel lines. The female of huachuca has a distinct, ovate, black orbicular. The oribicular of axendra, if present is a fine, black dot.

Similar Species

Tarache lanceolata

Tarache bilimeki

Tarache new species 2

Tarache huachuca