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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Moths » Noctuoidea » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Agaristinae » Euscirrhopterus » Staghorn Cholla Moth - Hodges#9308 (Euscirrhopterus cosyra)
Photo#71080
cactus eating caterpillar - Euscirrhopterus cosyra
Copyright © 2006 Bob Beatson

cactus eating caterpillar - Euscirrhopterus cosyra
Pima Canyon, Santa Catalina Mts., Pima County, Arizona, USA
August 14, 2006
Size: 10-13mm
This little crawler was munching on the tender new shoots of Staghorn Cholla (Opuntia versicolor). I read about a moth larva (Copidryas cosyra) that feeds on Cholla "stems." It also mentioned the larvae were rarely seen. Wondering if this could be it? If not, does anyone have any idea what it might be?
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Contributed by Bob Beatson on 16 August, 2006 - 11:35am
Last updated 20 August, 2006 - 10:35am

Moved
to species page.
… Jim McClarin, 20 August, 2006 - 10:57am login or register to post comments

9308 - Euscirrhopterus cosyra
Your photo looks like a pretty good match of one shown on Bruce Walsh's Moths of Southeastern Arizone website. Here is a link Direct to the Photo by Laurie W. Moore.
… Bob Patterson, 16 August, 2006 - 12:44pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks once again Bob
I'm guessing Copidryas is an earlier usage, i.e. synonym? L. Moore's pic looks very close. ----- Just went to a pic of adult on Walsh's site and answered the above question: you can just make out a handwritten label w/ Copidryas on it. Way cool. The literature I referred to in original submission is "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert," published by the Sonoran Desert Museum Press and U of California Press. Perhaps the best general reference on life forms for a particular region I've ever seen. Thought I'd give 'em a plug in case anyone's planning on coming out here and is looking for something like that.
… Bob Beatson, 16 August, 2006 - 1:48pm login or register to post comments

 
If I Understand the Notation n. syn. (new synonymy) Correctly..
... Copidryas was synonymized when the Hodges Check List was published in 1983.
… Bob Patterson, 16 August, 2006 - 2:16pm login or register to post comments

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