Eupseudomorpha brillians (Neumoegen)

Edwardsia brillians Neumoegen, 1880, Canad. Ent., 12:68.

Diagnosis: Eupseudomorpha brillians is one of the great rarities of North American collections. The species occurs in a restricted region of short grass prairie in northern and central Texas, and northeastern New Mexico not often visited by collectors. The moth is very striking. The forewing is distinctly triangular with an up-swept outer margin. The hindwing is very large relative to the forewing and deep brown-black. The dominant forewing color is off-white. The inner margin, outer margin, and the costa are black and frame the more intricate coloration of the forewing. The 2A and Cu veins are accented with black, the accenting on the Cu ending at the position of the postmedial line and swinging around the outer side of the reniform mark into the postmedial line to the costa enclosing the reniform and orbicular marks. The black accenting on 2A intercepts the inner margin about one-half the distance between the base and the tornus. A elongate, ovate or slightly triangular black circle begins near the bottom of the orbicular mark and angles outward to nearly the inner margin. The orbicular and reniform marks are filled with orange and their outer margins are defined by a thick black line. A rusty-red band occupies the outer part of the wing between the subterminal line and the black outer margin. The ventral forewing is mostly black, but with yellow-brown areas surrounding the black reniform mark and the upper two-thirds of the terminal region of the wing. The dorsal and ventral hindwing is completely and strikingly deep brown-black.

Distribution (See map below): This species has a very restricted known distribution, occuring in northern and central Texas and in east-central New Mexico. The habitat is short-grass prairie. Too few specimens are known to make any comments on variability.

Identification Quality: Excellent

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

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