Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Datana Walker, 1855
Explanation of Names
The names of at least three moth genera,
Datana (Notodontidae),
Nadata, (Notodontidae), and
Natada (Limacodidae) are
anagrams. These genera were named by
Francis Walker in 1855, and perhaps only he knew which came first!
Numbers
Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010) listed 13 species of the genus
Datana in America north of Mexico
(1); other sources list 15 species.
Identification
Adults of Datana resemble a faded brown leaf, rolled up, with a fuzzy chesnut "head", actually the upper thorax. Wings have a weak pattern of lighter lines.
Habitat
Deciduous forests, woodlands, edges with deciduous shrubs
Food
Adult food unknown, perhaps do not feed.
Larvae feed on leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs and may be pests.
angusii -
Angus's Datana Moth - eastern US - Hickory specialist
californica -
Datana californica - northwestern US - apple, cherry, oak, and many other trees
cochise -
Datana cochise - southeast Arizona - walnut specialist
contracta -
Contracted Datana - eastern US - oak and chestnut
diffidens -
Datana diffidens - south Texas - Live Oak
drexelii -
Drexel's Datana - eastern US - Blueberry and witch-hazel, also sourwood
integerrima -
Walnut Datana - eatern US - primarily walnut but also hickory and pecan
major -
Azalea Datana - eastern US - mainly on leaves of azalea (
Rhododendron spp.) and other Ericaceae
ministra -
Yellow-Necked Datana - Eastern US - apple, oak, birch and willow trees and many others but primarily oak
modesta -
Datana modesta - Florida to SC and LA - Blueberry (Vaccinium, Ericaceae)
neomexicana -
Datana neomexicana - New Mexico, SW Colo and West Texas - likely an oak specialist
perfusa -
Datana perfusa - Arizona - an oak specialist
perspicua -
Spotted Datana - US except extreme northwest - Sumac (
Rhus species, in the family Anacardiaceae)
(2) but Charles has some from southern Arizona on Manzanita, Arctostaphylos
ranaeceps -
Post-burn Datana - coast Miss to NJ - Staggerbush (Lyonia) and Deerberry
robusta -
Datana robusta - coast NC to TX -
Print References
Covell, pp. 328-329, plate 39
(3)
Himmelman, p. 43, plates A-3, B-4
(4)
Wagner, p. 56:
D. contracta, integerrima, drexelii caterpillars
(5)