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Photo#343863
Heliodinidae, possibly Neoheliodines vernius? - Neoheliodines vernius

Heliodinidae, possibly Neoheliodines vernius? - Neoheliodines vernius
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California, USA
March 29, 2003
Size: tiny, FW~5mm or less
We found this tiny moth in Sentenac Canyon on Wishbone Plant (Mirabilis bigelovii), family Nyctaginaceae, Four-o'clocks. If it is genus Neoheliodines, it is probably N. vernius based on distribution and known/suspected host plants. However, I can not tell if it is this genus or possibly the very similar Embola?

Images of this individual: tag all
Heliodinidae, possibly Neoheliodines vernius? - Neoheliodines vernius Heliodinidae, possibly Neoheliodines vernius? - Neoheliodines vernius

Moved
Moved from Neoheliodines.

Moved
Moved from ID Request. Is the ID sure enough to make a species page?

N. vernius
I agree that Neoheliodines vernius is the most likely option here.

 
N. vernius
Again, thanks for the ID. It's really appreciated!

I wish I could go to your link for the Hsu and Powell revision, but its 211 pages exceeds the limits of my dial-up. May I ask you a question? I notice that the new Powell and Opler book include Embola powelli that occurs in southern CA as well as other southern locales. Is it possible to tell N. vernius and E. powelli apart from a photo?

 
See the Probable (very close to) Embola powelli here

 
Thanks for this photo
I appreciate your finding this image and sending to me. It's quite different from N. vernius. So many of the Neoheliodines and Embolas are real lookalikes.

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