Eulithosia plesioglauca (Dyar)

Antaplaga plesioglauca Dyar, 1912, Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus., 42:68.

Chamoclea [sic] comstocki Hill, 1924, Bull. S. California Acad. Sci., 23:184, pl. 3, fig. 6.

Diagnosis: Eulithosia plesioglauca is a very distinctive species. The forewing has a pearly luster with a deep violet suffusion of the inner half. The apex of the forewing has a slight, off green metallic luster. The forewing is round and slightly elongate. Wing length from base to apex: mean = 14.68 mm., standard deviation = 0.54 mm., n = 7.

Distribution: This species has been collected in Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise Counties in southeastern Arizona, mostly near the Mexican border. I have seen Mexican specimens from the states of Morelos, Guerrero, and Oaxaca at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Undoubtedly it has a more extensive distribution. Mexican specimens tend to be slightly darker and slightly more violet than those from Arizona.

Adults have been collected in August and September.

Identification Quality: Excellent

Larva: The larva and its foodplants are unknown. Given the propensity of the adults in the subfamily to sit on the flowers of their foodplants, a plant with purple flowers would be a good first guess.

Foodplants: Unknown

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