Species Polygrammate cadburyi - Cadbury's Lichen Moth - Hodges#8104

8104

Polygrammate cadburyi (Franclemont, 1939) (1)

Comachara cadburyi Franclemont, 1939

Phylogenetic sequence # 931499 (2)

Franclemont (1939) original description is available online in the print references.

Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Massachusetts to Florida, Missouri to Texas.(3)

This species is abundant in the tiny tupelo forest on Block Island, RI, but not a single adult has been observed anywhere else on the island in intensive surveying, including at sites under a mile away, indicating that the adults disperse minimally.(4)

Univoltine throughout its range, flying spring or early summer. On Block Island, RI, adults are abundant during a brief flight window in the island's tiny tupelo forest.(4)

Black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

This species was long mistaken for a lichen moth (Arctiinae: Lithosiini), but discovery of the larva revealed its acronictine affinity. Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) synonymized Comachara with Polygrammate. P. cadburyi and its sole congener, P. hebraeicum, share their host plant. This new generic placement is hardly obvious based on superficial characters:

Franclemont, J.G., 1939. Comachara cadburyi, a new genus and new species (Lepidoptera, Phalaenidae, Sarrothripinae). Entomological News 51: 216

Wagner, D.L., Hossler, E.W. & F.E. Hossler, 2006. Not a tiger but a dagger: The larva of Comachara cadburyi and reassignment of the genus to Acronictinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99(4): 638-647.

Schmidt, B.C. & G.G. Anweiler, 2020. Noctuidae (Part) Pantheinae, Raphiinae, Balsinae, Acronictinae. The Moths of North America, Fascicle 25.4: 101; pl. A-6 (adult), figs. 44-47; pl. 15, fig. 2 (♂ gen.); pl. 33 fig. 8 (♀ gen.); pl. L-3, figs, 5 (larva). (1)

Moth Photographers Group (5)

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (6)