Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ancylis muricana (
Walsingham, 1879)
Phoxopteryx muricana Walsingham 1879
(1)
Phoxopteris cornifoliana Riley, 1881
(2)
Phylogenetic sequence #620665
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet from Latin
muricatus meaning "purple colored" for the "purplish grey" thorax.
(1)Identification
Adult - original description
(1):
Palpi short, whitish, the apical point almost concealed: head and patagia pale ferruginous; antennae slightly darker; thorax purplish grey. Fore wings - the costa arched; apex falcate - with the basal portion (nearly half) steel-blue towards the costa, blending into reddish brown outwardly along the dorsal margin, bounded on the dorsal half by a whitish oblique patch, and on the costal half by a reddish-brown or ferruginous ill-defined fascia, which is connected on its outer edge with a ferruginous shade towards the apex: several very short oblique whitish costal streaks, prolonged in blue lines towards the upper edge of the pale ocellated patch, of which the inner half is suffused with shining steel-blue; there is a shining silvery line at the base of the pale ochreous cilia. Hind wings brownish fuscous; cilia paler.
Type ♀ . Expanse of wings 10 mm.
Beginning of May 1871, Washington (D.C.)
Range
Eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada.
Life Cycle
Record here of caterpillar shows a host plant is blackberry (Rubus species):
Print References
Walsingham, Thomas de Grey (Lord). 1879. North-American Torticidae.
Illustrations of typical specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in the collection of the British Museum 4,
74,
Pl.77, f.6
(1)