Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Hypatima zesticopa (Meyrick, 1929)
Orig. Comb: Chelaria zesticopa Meyrick, 1929
Identification
12/30/2020 Comments by Ann Hendrickson: The TRUE Hypatima zesticopa is represented by the barcoded
and is quite dark in color and has no light spots. It's caterpillar is also quite dark. Only one specimen has been verified from Texas but there are several photographs from Hidalgo that appear similar to me.
I have barcoded 3 examples of Hypatima JFL1 and three examples of Hypatima JFL2 and believe I see consistencies that may make some visual identification to species possible.
Hypatima JFL1 is usually a lighter beige in which I see white spots. See
it's caterpillar is bright green.
Hypatima JFL2 has a mottled more yellowish ground coloration with distinctive striped, fuzzy palps. See
Range
AZ, TX, NM
Type: Texas, Alpine, Fort Davis, 5000-8000 feet; New Mexico, Bent, 7000 feet; April to July, October, November; 16 ex.
Food
One verified host plant for the TRUE Hypatima zesticopa is Mimosa texana. The caterpillar is very dark gray.
One verified host plant for Hypatima JFL1 is Huisache. The caterpillar is bright green
Information added by Ann Hendrickson 12/30/2020
Remarks
Hypatima zesticopa is currently the only described New World species in the genus. However, there are three Barcode Index Number groups (BINs) containing samples from the US identified as Hypatima at BOLD. It is uncertain which BIN represents true Hypatima zesticopa. Specimens from all three BINs were identified by Jean-Francois Landry. It would appear that BIN ACL2105 is true zesticopa and the other two may represent undescribed species given the wide separation by barcode. One of Mark Dreiling's examples currently placed at BugGuide as zesticopa is placed in BIN AAG0033 which is identified as "Hypatima sp. JFL2." It may be likely that others at BugGuide may represent undescribed species. J-F Landry (pers. comm. 6/3/19) agrees with this summary and advises against identifying Hypatima to species without dissection or DNA. - Steve Nanz, 5/7/2019 (updated 6/2/21)
• BIN:
ACL2105 - "Hypatima zesticopa" - 24 specimens from AZ and one from Texas.
• BIN:
AAM8615 - "Hypatima sp. JFL1" - 6 specimens from TX (includes speciems by BugGuide contributor, Ann Hendrickson)
• BIN:
AAG0033 - "Hypatima sp. JFL2" - 10 specimens from TX, OK and AZ (includes speciems by BugGuide contributors, Ann Hendrickson and Mark Dreiling)
Print References
Meyrick, E. 1929. Exotic Microlepidoptera. 3: 514. (
Full Text)
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