Moved from Moths.

Moved from Momphinae.

Although this moth resembles some of the Mompha species in coloration and in the presence of scale tufts on the forewings, it is an epermeniid, Epermenia sp. It is not E. pimpinella, but that is the only Epermenia with which I am familiar, so I am not able to ID this moth to species.

Note that in epermeniids, the scale tufts on the forewings are much longer than they are wide; they are located on the very posterior margin of the forewing and are appressed together so that, as seen in the dorsal-aspect photo, each pair looks like a single laterally-flattened middorsal tuft. Also, there are four pairs of tufts, with (as seen in the lateral-aspect photo) the basal-most pair largest, the second pair smaller, and the third and fourth pairs smallest and about equal in size to each other (see also here).

In Mompha, on the other hand, the scale tufts on the forewings sit away from (anterior to) the hind margin of the forewing, so that in dorsal aspect, they are separate (i.e., there clearly is one tuft on each forewing; see, e.g., here). Also, the tufts are of approximately equal length and width (not laterally flattened), there are only two main pairs of tufts, and the two pairs are of approximately equal size to each other.

Moved from Moths.

B.P.