Noctuidae - Condicinae - Condicini

Condica temecula

Condica videns - Condica videns is the eastern North American member of the species complex. It is the lightest in color of the four species. The forewing color is usually light tan to tan, although sometimes specimens have a reddish-brown tint, and some are even tinged with dark brown. The forewing has a dark streak between the reniform spot and the orbicular spot, but the forewing tends to lack the dark brown streaking and general infusion found in temecula and discistriga. In the male genitalia the most distintive feature is the spines on the basal lobe of the vesica. In the other three species these spines are short and stubby, but in videns the spines are at least three or four times longer than wide. The female genitalia are virtually indistinguishable, although the ductus bursae may be slightly shorter and the corpus bursae slightly longer than in discistriga. The ostium of temecula is thin and rectangular, but is roughly as long as wide in both discistriga and videns. All in all, however, geographical range is the easiest character that can be used to identify videns except near the eastern borders of temecula and discistriga.

Condica discistriga - Condica discistriga is largely found in the Great Basin region of the western United States. This species is mostly likely to be confused with temecula although the ranges appear to mutually exlusive. On the whole discistriga is the larger of the two species, although the range of forewing lengths of the two species overlap somewhat. On the whole the forewing of discistriga has a rougher appearance with more flecking of dark brown and streaking on the veins. In contrast temecula has a smoother, almost glossy appearance in most cases. The hindwing of the male of discistriga is usually more distinctly white than in temecula, although again this is not are hard and fast rule, and the hindwing of the female more strongly suffused with brown in temecula than in discistriga. In the male genitalia the clasper of the valve is usually, but not always, long and thin in discistriga with only the outer third of the clasper curved upward. In temecula the clasper is thicker and evenly curved. Condica discistriga has a second lobe in addition to the basal lobe of the vesica. This lobe is located ventral to the basal lobe in the orientation of the figures.