Species Cisthene martini - Martin's Lichen Moth - Hodges#8078

8078

Cisthene martini Knowlton, 1967

* phylogenetic sequence #930195

Forewing length 9-11 mm. (1)

Martin's Lichen Moth is similar to Thin-banded except that all the colors are darkened and over-saturated. Most noticeably, the basal streak and PM band are usually dark red-orange. In many online images, the PM band shows a thin hint of yellow around its perimeter and the ground color is slightly darker around the edges of the band, both of which tend to sharpen the contrast of the PM band with the FW ground color.(2)

C. coronado: In Arizona material, Knowlton (1967) could not visually distinguish Martin's Lichen Moth from the Coronado Lichen Moth (C. coronado).(3) Thus far, all barcoded specimens of Martin's have been assigned the same Barcode Index Number as all Coronado Lichen Moths (BIN BOLD:AAA2038), suggesting either close genetic similarity or specimen misidentifications.

Knowlton, 1967:96 (3)

Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. pl.46.21m, p.265 (1)

Sexton, C., and H. McGuinness. 2017. Identification of lichen moths in the genus Cisthene in the central and eastern U.S. South. Lep. News (39(4):309-322.

Moth Photographers Group - species page

Moths of Southeastern Arizona - how to seperate southern Arizona's Cisthene