Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#1043214
Gueneria similaria  - Gueneria similaria

Gueneria similaria - Gueneria similaria
Northkill Road north of Shartlesville, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA
May 15, 2014
On sheet with UV black light.

ID Question
I would have guessed Cabera erythemaria . How was the identification determined?

 
ID
Steve - This moth was identified on BAMONA as this species, so I bowed to that. It's possible I submitted it there thinking it was Cabera myself, but now that I have been looking at images of both, I can't really see how to distinguish these two. They are another case of two very similar looking species that, because they aren't apparently very closely related, you don't notice the other one because it is placed a lot of numbers (and a whole plate) apart on MPG. You go with the one you stumble upon first, figuring anything similar you had to separate it from would be right nearby.

At any rate, what are you seeing that leans you toward Cabera?

 
--
Jason D. Roberts agrees with sticking with the ID here but you may want to read his full response.

Do you have any shots showing the last segments of the abdomen? We might be able to sex this individual. If it's a male, we could nail it down.

 
ID
The bend in the costal margin near the base is a not as pronounced as it is in other examples of Gueneria similaria and it has a wood grain appearance more like Cabera erythemaria.

Since you had an expert look at this, I'd leave it for now. My guess is thinly supported. Another thing I look at is the shape to f the am. line and yours seem OK for G. similaria. I wasn't questioning the validity of the ID. I wanted to find out if there was more to know.

I did find out that, per Rindge (1956): "Another species that sometimes is confused with erythemaria is Gueneria similaria (Walker). The present species can be separated by the pectinate antennae in the male, as the male antennae of similaria are simple. In addition, the later species has on the underside of each wing a small discal dot and a faint row of postmedial dots, which are not present in erythemaria." So if this is a male, then the BAMONA ID seems good.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.