Download high resolution image here.

This subject came to a mercury vapor lamp set-up at 35°48'49.0"N 106°40'58.0"W, 7339 ft elevation, Jemez Springs 7.5' quadrangle, near a cabin on Spruce Loop, Sandoval Co., NM. Many other images from this event are posted. I collected the specimen and have followed up with high resolution images to help with ID.

Ecdytolopha coloradana and E. occidentana are separated by genitalia. Specimens posted to date under each species on BG are tentatively separated by locality, but this specimen's locality is transitional. I have ordered Adamski and Brown 2001 (1), which presumably has images of genitalia. I plan to slide mount this specimen's genitalia with a similar perspective when this reference arrives, and try to ID the species then.

The ventral view is shown with the moth still spread out by pins to illustrate the technique I use to spread winged insects too small for a conventional spreading board.

Follow-up 04JUN2021 Adamski and Brown 2001 (1) has arrived. I have posted the genitalia spread as illustrated therein. This reference only records E. occidentana from AZ, and E. coloradana from NM and CO. The latter is recorded from nearby Jemez Springs, NM specifically. Nonetheless, this specimen is identifiable as E. occidentana based on its genital's scaphial ridge being entire (vs. emarginate or bilobed), as seen in the high resolution image provided. Additional features in the descriptions distinguishing it from E. occidentana are the refracting iridescent blue scales on its head (vs. brown), and valva constriction being 0.3 distant from base to apex (vs. 0.5).

MPG records E. occidentana from southwest SW NM. This posting extends the range further into E. coloradana's known territory.