stramineus complex

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Pterophoroidea (Plume Moths)

Family Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)

Subfamily Pterophorinae (Five-lobed Plume Moths)

Tribe Oidaematophorini

Genus Hellinsia

No Taxon stramineus complex

Identification

This complex contains the three species of North American Straw-colored Plume Moths formerly considered conspecific with or related to the Eurasian species Hellinsia pectodactylus (Staudinger, 1859). Their geographical ranges and diagnostic characters are still being worked out. The three species are:

Hellinsia stramineus

Hellinsia angustus

Hellinsia poulini

from Deborah Matthews "Based on the thickness of the posterior apophyses and the sclerotization of the papillae anales, I believe this is one of the two or more species which are part of the Hellinsia pectodactylus complex. For now, we are calling it pectodactylus but stramineus or angustus may be used in the future. I can't see the anterior apophyses (they will be very short) and these do not always show without double staining. If I am correct, this specimen should be bit smaller than most of the species you are finding."