Genus Hammaptera

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · See Also · Internet References

Please help us to identify this moth. - Hammaptera parinotata

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 Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)

Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)

Subfamily Larentiinae

Tribe Hydriomenini

Genus Hammaptera

Numbers

1 species in North America listed at All-Leps

Size

wingspan about 20 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

Identification

Adult: forewing subterminal area has distinctive pair of dark "fingertip smudges" near apex; green tinting on forewing varies from bright and extensive to virtually non-existent; median area brownish-gray with paler central portion containing black slit-like discal spot; terminal line a series of black paired spots; fringe pale, checkered with black scales at ends of veins; hindwing gray, suffused with white basally; terminal line a series of black dashes

Range

southern United States: Arizona to Florida, north to Oklahoma

Season

Year around in Texas with peak numbers of adults in late Fall (BG, iNat); more limited flight season in Arizona, Florida, and Oklahoma. Possibly only a late summer immigrant in the latter state.

See Also

Red Twin-Spot (Xanthorhoe ferrugata) shares the distinctive feature of a pair of dark "fingertip smudges" near the forewing apex, but has a reddish basal area, and the species has a northern distribution that doesn't overlap Hammaptera

Internet References

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

pinned adult image of Smithsonian specimen, plus collection location and date (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)

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

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

presence in Oklahoma; list (Oklahoma State U.)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 6 January, 2008 - 9:20am
Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton
Last updated 21 January, 2019 - 7:10am

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