Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

 

 

 

Therasea lanceolata (Grote) NEW COMBINATION

Tarache lanceolata Grote, 1879, Canad. Ent., 11:198.

Diagnosis: Therasea lanceolata is not sexually dimorphic. The upper third of the forewing is pure white except for the apex of the wing. This pure white area is crossed by two yellow-green stripes; one reaching the darker lower two-thirds of the wing just basad of the orbicular and the other distal to the reniform. The orbicular and reniform are both light gray. The apex of the forewing is rusty-red. The white shading in the subterminal area is confined to the inner margin of the subterminal region. Wing expanse from base to apex in one selected individual 11 mm.

Distribution: (Based only on USNM specimens). Therasea lanceolata occurs throughout most of Texas except for the far eastern parts of the state. The range extends westward to central Arizona and southward into the northern states of Mexico.

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

Therasea lanceolata

The two yellow-green stripes on the costa of the forewing will distinguish this species from huachuca, axendra (stripes present in female, but all brown), and bilimeki. Two stripes may be present in new species 1. However the postmedial stripe is broader and saddle-shaped. The white in the subterminal region and fringe of new species 1 is much more extensive.

Similar Species

Therasea huachuca

Therasea axendra

Therasea bilimeki

Therasea new species 2