Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Notarctia autholea, N. docta, N. mexicana
formerly placed in genus Apantesis
also treated as a subgenus of Grammia by some authors
type specimen originally classified as Chelonia proxima
Numbers
1 of 2 species in North America listed at
All-Leps
All-Leps recognizes no subspecies (just synonyms), whereas FUNET treats several names as subspecies.
Size
wingspan 33-50 mm, based on Internet photos
Identification
Adult: forewing black with 3 broad bands and 2 broad stripes, branching in subterminal area; band and stripe color variably white to cream to yellowish; bands and stripes may be so broad that they cover most of wing surface, making the black areas appear as isolated spots; hindwing color varies from mostly white (with orange or pink along inner margin) to mostly red (with large black blotches along outer margin); ptagia (collar) pale yellowish, unmarked; top of thorax may appear black with 2 pale longitudinal stripes, or pale with 3 black longitudinal stripes, depending on width of stripes; abdomen red or orangish with black tip
Range
Oregon and California, south through Mexico to Central America - and perhaps further east, from Wyoming to Texas (?)
Season
no information found on Internet
Food
no information found on Internet
Remarks
No images of N. arizoniensis [=mormonica] were found on the Internet as of 21 Sep 2007, and although its distribution is not clearly defined, the species is assumed to occur in Arizona and Utah (and perhaps from Wyoming to Texas).
See Also
Nevada Tiger Moth (
Grammia nevadensis) has one black spot on each side of ptagia (collar), whereas the ptagia is unmarked in Mexican Tiger Moth
N. arizoniensis [=mormonica] is presumably similar, but is also presumed to occur in Arizona and Utah - and perhaps not further west in California or Oregon (?)
also similar to several species of
Apantesis and
Grammia (see
comparison images at MPG)
Internet References
pinned adult image of male from California, plus common name reference (Clark Thompson, insectnet.com)
pinned adult image by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult image from California (John Snyder, Furman U., South Carolina)
pinned adult images showing size and color differences (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
pinned adult image from Belize (Matthew Barnes, Moths of Belize)
live adult image plus common name reference (natureali.org, California)
US distribution map combining
proxima and
arizoniensis, plus common name reference (butterfliesandmoths.org)
classification history plus links, common name reference, literature references (Markku Savela, FUNET)
