Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
TETRACIS Guenée, 1858
The genus Synaxis is synonymized with Tetracis, Ferris and Schmidt, 2010
Numbers
13 species of Tetracis in North America
Tetracis crocallata Guenée
Tetracis cachexiata Guenée
Tetracis cervinaria (Packard)
Tetracis australis Ferris, New Species
Tetracis fuscata (Hulst)
Tetracis pallulata Hulst
Tetracis mosesiani (Sala)
Tetracis jubararia sericeata (Barnes & McDunnough)
Tetracis montanaria Ferris, New Species
Tetracis barnesii (Hulst)
Tetracis formosa (Hulst)
Tetracis hirsutaria (Barnes & McDunnough)
Tetracis pallidata Ferris, New Species
Size
typical forewing length 16–26 mm
Identification
Adult: Medium-sized (typical FWL: 16–26 mm) moths varying in color from white, yellow, ochreous, to dark gray, and chocolate brown. Male antenna nearly filiform (laminate, prismatic or serrate) or bipectinate; female antenna essentially filiform, densely setose ventrally. PM line present, but AM line may be absent; varying patterns of dark maculation may be present. Wing outer margins arcuate at vein M3. No patch of setae or comb on male third abdominal sternite. Ferris and Schmidt, 2010
Adult: wings angular and conspicuously pointed, light to dark brown (mimicing autumn leaves) with distinct AM and PM lines
Larva: yellowish to brownish twig mimic with dorsal hump on thorax
Range
western United States and southwestern Canada
Habitat
deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests and shrublands; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light
Season
one generation per year; overwinters as an egg
Food
most larvae feed on leaves of a variety of broad-leaved trees and shrubs; S. pallulata feeds on coniferous trees
Internet References
pinned adult images of four species occurring in Canada (CBIF)
pinned adult image of
S. cervinaria plus description, food plants, and flight season (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands; USGS)
pinned adult image of
S. jubararia plus description, flight season, habitat, food plants, distribution (G.G. Anweiler, U. of Alberta)
live larva image of
S. cervinaria plus description and food plants (Jeffrey Miller, Caterpillars of Pacific Northwest Forests and Woodlands; USGS)
live larva image of
S. pallulata plus description, food plants, distribution, biology, seasonality (Canadian Forest Service)
