Species Polyhymno luteostrigella - Hodges#2211

2211

Polyhymno luteostrigella Chambers, 1874

Polyhymno fuscostrigella Chambers, 1876

luteostrigella: from the Latin "luteus" (yellow) + "striga" (a furrow, channel, groove, or stripe); refers to the yellowish-brown stripes on the forewing

one of 2 species in this genus in North America listed at All-Leps

Wingspan: 3/8" [~9.5mm] (Chambers 1874).

Wingspan about 11 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

Adult: forewing white with two yellowish-brown longitudinal lines that converge near apex; distal half of wing has several short diagonal streaks along costa and inner margin; terminal line composed of three black dots; hindwing brownish-gray with very long fringe along inner and outer margins; head and thorax white with 2-4 dark longitudinal lines on top

Widespread but uncertain due to existence of similar cryptic species; Texas to Florida, north to Connecticut and Kentucky. Possibly wherever Sweet Acacia, the host plant, is found.

Type locality: Texas.

adults fly in July and August in the north, year-round in the south

Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasciculata, (Busck 1900:236).

Platytes Moth (Platytes vobisne) forewing has zigzag lines, a solid terminal line, and no lines on top of thorax or head

Striated Phaneta Moth (Phaneta striatana)

Polyhymno luteostrigella Chambers, 1874 is described by Busck (1900) as smaller with markings lighter and more golden colored versus darker brown in acaciella.

Several cryptic species are apparently represented at BOLD based on DNA barcode.

Busck, A., 1900. New American Tineina. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 8(4): 236.

Chambers, V.T., 1874. Tineina from Texas. The Canadian Entomologist, 6: 247.

Moth Photographers Group (MPG) (1)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) (2)

distribution list of boundary states (Dalton State College, Georgia)

presence in Texas; list (James Gillaspy, U. of Texas)

presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)