Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ringea cyda (Druce, 1893)
Eubolia cyda Druce, 1893
Semiothisa cyda
Digrammia cyda
Phylogenetic Sequence # 190275
Size
Forewing length: ♂ 10-13 mm, ♀ 10-15 mm.
(1)Identification
Adult: forewing ground color white but largely obscured by extensive dark transverse streaks; PM line thick, black, sinuous, interrupted by yellowish-orange blob near costa; AM and median lines blackish, diffuse, almost straight; band of dark gray shading immediately beyond PM line, followed by whitish transverse band representing a subterminal line; terminal line a series of black dashes; hindwing light yellowish-brown with conspicuous dark median line
* in south Texas
Rindgea cyda can only be distinguished from the nearly identical
R. s-signata by genitalia.
(1)
Range
Louisiana to southern California.
Recorded as vagrants in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.
(1)
(its presence on a list from
New York presumably represents an accidental record)
Season
Adults fly year round in the warmer areas.
(1)
Adults fly from March to September in California.
Remarks
The S-signata group consists of three very similar species. Please see notes on the range which is often helpful in determining the species.
Rindgea ballandrata
R. cyda
R. s-signata
6/5/2022 by Ann Hendrickson:
I have just discovered an error in the naming of the Male genitalia in the Ferguson fascicle on Page 340. Since I have made all of my identifications from the Male genitalia, I have missed this for YEARS!
I made this discovery when I recently reared Rindgea s-signata for the FIRST TIME. The mother dissects as the Ferguson R. s-signata while 5 males from the brood dissect as the Ferguson named Rindgea cyda photographs b & d! That would indicate that the female dissections are the ones that are correctly named.
The caterpillar posted on BOLD as TXLEP669-19, BIN, BOLD:AAF0914 was beaten from a Mesquite tree and matches Rindgea cyda, however, it is not Barcode compliant as is the comparison specimen. All of my barcode compliant specimens match. I am hoping that when I submit three specimens that dissect as R.s-signata, they will not match the others!
See Also
Macaria decorata and M. colata lack a yellowish-orange blob on PM line of forewing, their AM and median lines are not as straight, and they lack a median line on the hindwing.
Print References
DeLoach, C.J. 1983. Field biology and host range of a mesquite looper, Semiothisa cyda (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), in central Texas. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 76(1): 87-93.
Druce, H. 1993. Biologia Centrali-Americana Lepidoptera Heterocera 2:
177, 3:
pl.58, f. 4
Ferguson, D.C. 2008. Moths of America North of Mexico. Fascicle 17.2. p.339, pl.8.51-54
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - species page with photographs of living and pinned adults.
live adult image from Arizona in June (Larry Line, Maryland)
presence in California; list of 8 specimen records with dates and locations (U. of California at Berkeley)
