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Photo#1762860
Homoglaea californica - female

Homoglaea californica - Female
Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona, USA
February 25, 2019
Size: Forewing Length 19 mm.
Specimen sent to and identified by Cliff Ferris.
Oak-Juniper Woodland.
Elevation 5,300. ft.

Images of this individual: tag all
Homoglaea californica - female Homoglaea californica - female

Doubts about Homoglaea californica ID
This seems to be an outlier among photos of H. californica on BugGuide, mothphotographersgroup, and BOLD. If other online photos are ID-ed correctly, then H. californica doesn't have dark dots near the FW apex, and its coloring seems more even (if present, the reddish hue extends over the full forewing, not just the lower half).
Genus Homoglaea should be correct.

 
Doubts
I agree that this moth stands out from the other images posted of H. californica at BG, MPG, PNW Moths and BOLD. However, without a MONA Fascicle that discusses Homoglaea it is difficult for me to compare these species. The best info I can find is at PNW Moths. Although PNW Moths reports that the ST line of californica can rarely be preceded by ill-defined black spots, its range does not appear to extend to Arizona. According to BOLD, H. variegata is certainly possible at this location, but this moth does not look like the BOLD images of that species. A review of the other Homoglaea species covered by PNW Moths has me thinking that H. carbonaria might be a better fit. I would consider moving this to carbonaria if it had not been identified by Cliff Ferris at californica. Cliff is a respected expert and he would have to be consulted and concur before moving. Unfortunately, I do not have Cliff's contact info.

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