Lineostriastiria sexseriata (Grote)

Grotella sexseriata Grote, 1881, Papilio, 1:155.

Diagnosis: Lineostriastiria sexseriata has a cream white forewing with contrasting black antemedial and postmedial lines. The forewing, in general, has a slightly polished appearance. Lineostriastiria sexseriata is most likely to be confused with biundulalis. However a strong series of black dots representing the subterminal line is present in sexseriata. These black dots are almost always absent in biundulalis. In specimens of biundulalis with some black dots in the subterminal area, the postmedial line is finely dentate; the postmedial line of sexseriata is not finely dentate. The hindwing of sexseriata is always suffused, to some degree, with gray brown, but is pure white in biundulalis. The male clasper is near the inner margin of the valve. The juxta of biundulalis has a triangular indentation along its ventral margin that is missing in sexseriata. The female apophyses anteriores reach the the lower (cephalad) margin of the eighth sternite, but do not reach it in biundulalis. Wing length from base to apex: mean = 12.16 mm., standard deviation = 0.39 mm., n = 10.

Distribution: Lineostriastiria sexseriata is known only from Arizona. Most specimens are from southern Arizona, but the species occurs northward at least as far as the Mogollon Rim in Yavapai, Gila, and southern Navajo counties. The strength of the black dots in the forewing subterminal area varies a little, but not greatly.

Adults have been collected in late summer and early autumn.

Identification Quality: Excellent

Larva: Unknown

Foodplants: Unknown

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