Species Elaphria deltoides - Hodges#9679.1

Classification · Hodges Number · Size · Identification · Range · Season · See Also · Internet References

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)

Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Subfamily Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)

Tribe Elaphriini

Genus Elaphria (Midgets)

Species deltoides (Elaphria deltoides - Hodges#9679.1)

Hodges Number

9679.1

Size

wingspan 19-21 mm, based on photos by Jim Vargo and Matthew Barnes

Identification

Adult: forewing medium brown with large dark brown patch along inner margin, extending more than halfway to costa; patch shape somewhat triangular, resembling a shark's dorsal fin (anterior margin a convex arc; posterior margin slightly concave, almost straight); reniform spot dark brown; PM line zigzags under reniform spot before joining posterior margin of dark patch; some darker shading extends in a widening V shape from PM line to outer margin; hindwing pale yellowish, shading to brownish near outer margin

Range

Florida and Mexico to Brazil

Season

adults may be present all year; most numerous from November to February in Guadeloupe

See Also

Elaphria nucicolora forewing more uniformly colored, anterior margin of dark patch not as convex, and hindwing mostly white (compare images of both species by Jim Vargo at MPG)

Internet References

pinned adult image plus distribution and seasonality (Pierre Zigatti, Catalogue of Lepidoptera of the French Antilles)

pinned adult image (Matthew Barnes, Moths of Jamaica)

pinned adult image and photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)

presence in Florida; list and a Hodges Number of 9684.1 [?] (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 24 July, 2006 - 4:45pm
Additional contributions by Bob Patterson
Last updated 19 July, 2009 - 2:16pm

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