Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events


TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#38011
confusion - Metarranthis indeclinata

confusion - Metarranthis indeclinata
Hay Island, Neguac, Northumberland County, New Brunswick, Canada
July 1, 2005
On alder shrub. Covell's Guide says the Common Metarranthis (M. hypochraria = hypocharia = mestusata) has especially heavy brown shading inside sharply-bent PM line, and its continuation onto hindwing. It also says that in the Pale Metarranthis (M. indeclinata), the brown shading is much paler.
The CBIF images of these 2 species show the opposite situation: the one labeled M. indeclinata has dark brown shading, and the one labeled M. mestusata (=hypochraria =hypocharia) is very pale.
Something's not right here.

Very Tough Group with problems remaining...
.... to be worked out as remark by Dave Wagner in his Caterpillar Guide. Your moth in your photo clearly falls within the range of variation of M. indeclinata illustrated by 5 specimens in Handfield's Papillons du Quebec. I'd be comfortable (> 75% ??)in calling it that while realizing full well that it could still actually have the genitalia of another species.

 
Pale Metarranthis
Thanks, Bob. I really should get a copy of Handfield's Guide. Image moved to species page.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.