Species Animomyia smithii - Hodges#6788

6788

Animomyia smithii (Pearsall, 1910)

Graefia smithii Pearsall, 1910 (1)

Animomyia smithii nigris Cassino & Swett, 1923

Animomyia smithii magna Rindge, 1974

Named in honor of Dr. John Bernhard Smith (1858-1912). At the time of its description as Graefia smithii, noting how many of the species named for him and his friend Edward Graef did not survive, Smith wrote, "if anything will kill this genus it is the combination of names." He was correct about the genus but the species survives!

Powell & Opler (2009) reported seven species in America north of Mexico (2)

Forewing length: (3)

♂ 11-18 mm

♀ flightless

Adults - see Rindge's description. (3)

Powell & Opler (2009) reported eastern California to eastern Colorado and Arizona. (2) Rindge (1974) reported adults fly throughout the year in the Mojave and Sonora deserts of California and Arizona. (3)

Powell & Opler (2009) reported adults all year in California and Arizona, one generation in Colorado and Utah (late June through July). (2)

Powell & Opler (2009) listed two hosts. (2)

Ambrosia dumosa (burrobush)

Artemisia filifolia (sand sagebrush).

Trocodima fuscipes - smaller, antenna much less plumose.

Cassino, S. E. & L. W. Swett 1923. New geometrids. The Lepidopterist 4(3): 24.

Pearsoll, R.F., 1910. A new geometrid genus and new species from the extreme south-west. The Canadian Entomologist 42(10): 330-332. (1)

Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. p.214, pl.29.27, 29.28 (2)

Rindge, F. H. 1974. A revision of the moth genus Animomyia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae). American Museum Novitates 2554: 8-13 (PDF)

Moth Photographers Group (4)

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (5)