Species Macaria amboflava - Hodges#6284

6284

Macaria amboflava(Ferguson, 1953)(1)

Speranza amboflava (Ferguson, 1953)

There are 50 species of the genus listed for America north of Mexico. (2)

Regarding sulphurea and amboflava, Ferguson states:

"Speranza sulphurea is a sexually dimorphic, eastern, bog-dwelling species, of which the male is nearly the color of Speranza argillacearia ["more nearly immaculate mouse gray"]. (MONA Fascicle 17.2, pg.82)

"Speranza amboflava is the obvious sister species of sulphurea, replacing the latter species in the West. It lacks the conspicuous sexual dimorphism of the eastern species; both sexes are bright yellow and closely resemble females of sulphurea, although usually larger." (MONA Fascicle 17.2, pg.84)

However, more current data than Ferguson (2008) does have sulphurea collected in the pacific northwest and there is a growing number of sequenced male individuals from that population that are quite yellow, and quite well marked. As more individuals of the two species are sequenced, we're finding that the external characteristics are less reliable than previously thought--or so it seems based on the genetic evidence. So distinguishing yellow individuals by photo in overlapping distribution locales may prove difficult or impossible at this time.

Speranza sulphurea

Hesperumia fumosaria

Hesperumia sulphuraria

Ferguson, D. C., 2008. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2: p. 84; pl. 2.6-9.(2)

Sihvonen, P. & P. Skou, 2015. Ennominae I. In: A. Hausmann (ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe, 5: 1-657.(1)

Moth Photographers Group

BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data Systems (3)