Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

Male

Courtesy of J.D. Lafontaine, Agriculture Canada

Female

Courtesy of J.D. Lafontaine, Agriculture Canada

Male Paralectotype

Female Paralectotype

 

 

Therasea huachuca (Smith)

Conacontia huachuca Smith, 1903, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 29:211.

Conacontia orba Smith, 1903, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 29:210.    NEW SYNONYMY

Diagnosis: Therasea huachuca is sexually dimorphic. The male has the upper two thirds of the forewing a light yellow-white. The lower third is brown, but is commonly constricted in the middle by a deep indetation of the dorsal light region. The deepness of the constriction, however, is variable. Streaks from the costa, if present, are weak, yellow green, and indistinct. There is extensively blue scaling near the apex of the forewing. The subterminal area has a large yellow-white region.

The female has the upper one-half yellow-white. There are two strong brown bars descending from the costa. The first part reaches the anterior portion of the orbicular and the second extends behind the reniform. The orbicular is a large, ovate, black spot.

Wing expanse from base to apex in one selected individual 12 mm.

Distribution: (Based only on material in the USNM). This species is represented only by specimens from the Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona.

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Distribution based on material in the USNM

Therasea huachuca

The costal light area of the forewing is white, but strongly tinted with light yellow-tan. The forewing costal areas of axenda, lanecolata, bilimeki, and new species 2 are pure white.

Similar Species

Therasea axenda

Therasea lanceolata

Therasea bilimeki

Therasea new species 1